The Other Suvivour
by Guilty.Ink
Summary: She wasn't the girl who changed his mind, or made him stay, or even gave him a good enough reason to live - but without a doubt, Itachi loved her anyway. From the beginning of his childhood, through the Uchiha massacre and his days in the Akatsuki up until his death, it was always her. ItachiOC. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N to Returning Readers**: Unfortunately, there is _no _new chapters - but I rewrote parts of this story and fixed up some grammar! If you have time, reading this twice will definitely have some new material :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Prologue

The amount of attempts at her life was laughable, but she survived each one. Still, did that really matter? Because in the end, Itachi Uchiha was still dead and she was still terribly alive.

Chapter One

_15 Years Ago_

When Itachi woke up, it was to darkness. His breathing raced and he desperately squeeze his eyes shut as if it would keep out the darkness in his mind and within seconds, he was calm again. It was another night where the nightmares got to him - where his mind pulled images of splattered blood and ninjas - men, women, children - all falling...and he blinked, trying to clear his head again. He tried to distract himself as he fell back to his bed.

So he thought about the warmth of a baby in his arms, the way his little brother prefered Itachi over his mother or father. The way the baby's eyes brightened when Itachi around. And closing his eyes, he finally found peace. But in the edge of his mind, he thought about his entry to the Academy tomorrow. Itachi could only sigh.

"Hanako! Wake up!"

With a groan, the five year old Hanako Hyuga pushed herself up and took a deep breath, listening the chirping outside noises, and in the next instant her eyes flashed open and she was out of her room, running to the kitchen set of her home.

It was September, and the cherry blossoms' flowers drifted from the wind and casted a great carpet over the Hyuga Clan's household. Hanako and her father lived on the outskirts, a location that symbolized their distance from the Main branch of the family. As far as hierarchy went, Hanako and her father Hiraku Hyuga were at the lowest level. So low, that the kekkei genkai trait was so weak in Hiraku's daughter that it was non-existent.

That was right - Hanako Hyuga did not possess the byakugan.

The young girl was running, her pale blonde hair whipping behind her from the wind. Hanako's eyes – eyes so dark it melted with the pupil – were wild and excited. She was finally starting her first day at the Ninja Academy at the age of 5. Even without the Byakugan, it was without a doubt she was skilled based on her jonin father's extensive training.

"Hanako, come on – you're going to be – oh. " Hiraku's pale eyes were wide with shock at his daughter's speed. He sighed and tousled her hair. While Hiraku had dark hair and light eyes, common traits of the Hyuga clan, Hanako was a spitting opposite image of he and his deceased wife. Sometimes, he wondered how Hanako was his daughter.

But looking down at the sweet smile, and the single dimple on his daughter's cheek, she looked so similar to her dead mother that Hiraku's heart ached.

Looking at Hanako now, she displayed no sign of trauma at the lost her mother. Nothing but the cries at night, and the dampness of her pillow every single morning showed how badly Hanako missed her mother.

"Let's go, Hanako."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Irahime and Hanako Hyuga, middle row."

"Hmph." Irahime curtly looked away at Hanako with a faint look of disgust, and moved away from the blonde child. "We're not related," she reminded at her sensei with an edge of bitterness in her tone. The teacher was distracted with studying the list but looked up anyway. He was momentarily confused when he looked at the two Hyugas – two completely opposite young girls. In fact, he thought, the other one doesn't even look like a Hyuga. Still…

"Just stand in formation, Irahime, we have to be ready for the ceremony. Hanako?" He looked at the other girl, she was smaller than the rest of her class but the look in her eyes were century-old. If the sensei had thought that Irahime was bitter, it was nothing compared to the daggers that Hanako was shooting in the other direction. Even Hanako knew to not even dare to fight with another Hyuga member, not when her intermediate family was on such a lesser scale.

Still, the anger in her eyes were ablaze.

She stiffly stood next to the other Hyuga girl, her eyes cold and staring indifferently in front of her as she waited for the Opening Ceremonies to begin.

"Itachi Uchiha."

Hanako looked to the side, the voice breaking through her thoughts. Distractedly, she watched the dark haired boy walk to the line. Her eyebrows pulled together. She thought that he looked sad, and it wasn't just because of the growing tear troughs beneath his dark eyes, but it was the look in them. It was something she saw in those eyes that was similar to her. A loneliness and discontent for the world.

The buzz that came from the crowd silenced and Hanako looked up to see the elders.

"A new generation has risen this year to make this village stronger…" The Hokage had arrived and he was making his welcoming speech. Hanako drifted off again. She always had a short attention span, even for a child. Instead, she scanned the crowd in front of her, looking at the families. They were full of proud parents, parents with high standards, parents that who loved their children, and even parents who looked like they were too busy to be here.

But they came in two.

And hers did not.

Hanako gripped her chest slightly, her eyes fell to the ground. Hanako loved her father, but seeing him standing alone amidst the other families made her feel more alone than she ever had in a long time. Her mind constantly went around in circles of self-pity and angst to the point that she didn't notice that the ceremony was over and that her future fellow classmates had disbanded and joined their family.

"Hey."

It was a male voice that brought her attention back to reality. She looked up to see the dark haired boy, standing in front of her with a mildly confused expression. "It's over, you know." He said slowly, as if unsure of her mental capabilities. "You can go." Hanako opened her mouth to say something but the boy's attention moved to his father who was calling him. "Itachi Uchiha!" Hanako stared.

So he was an Uchiha. Her fist clenched and she stared at the boy in front of her. He stared back, black eyes sympathetic. He was about to say something, but then shook his head slightly and went off to talk to the Sensei with his father. She stared at his back, her anger growing until she was shaking with it - with rage and jealousy.

_I bet he will unlock his kekkei genkai. And I never will._

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

The afternoon sunlight poured through the window and had cast shadows over the class. Finally, it was over. Sensei Uchiro stood in front of his now empty class, eyes closed and with a vein pulsing at his temple. _So_, he thought, _this is my class_. He had already figured out who was the gifted students and the trouble makers and everything in between. Some were easy, like the Uchiha kid who was obviously raised with his clan's high expectation. The boy, Itachi, would become great. Not long behind was a Hyuga, another powerful clan…

And that was where opposites proved true. Irahime was talented, of course - another example of strict clan expectations. Hanako, however…

His eyes squeezed shut at the thought of it. Her first day – before she even said a single word - she already claimed her position as his hardest student. He clearly remembered it. Uchiro had taken a step in the class and saw Irahime sitting in the direct front. And right behind her was Hanako, who had an annoyed expression on her face. The next thing he knew Hanako threw herself to the front row and conjured enough shadow clones to _push Irahime out of her seat_. The other Hyuga girl fell out and stared at the blonde child before crying out in outrage.

"That girl," Uchiro mumbled, leaning to his desk, "a five year old using jonin-level technique." He shook his head, but an unexpected smile pulled at his mouth. He would have been more impressed if Hanako didn't spend the rest of the class trying to escape the room. In fact, most of his students were fidgeting in their seats. Nobody seemed to enjoy each other's company. They hardly knew how to work together and God knows how crucial that is in the shinobi world.

He heard a sound erupt from outside. "Hm?" At the sound of his students playing a game cheerfully together, he formed an idea.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"So, can anyone tell me what makes a ninja – especially of the Leaf, so strong?" Sensei Uchiro asked his class. Of course, Irahime's hand shot up immediately.

"Because we always put our mission first, it's the 4th Shinobi rule," Irahime said haughtily and shot a look at Hanako, who returned the glare with a sarcastically impressed expression. Uchiro chuckled.

"Well there's that, but it's also became we think as a team, move as a team and have the strength of the entire squad. This is the first lesson I will teach you - how to act like a team." The class complained, all crying out about wanting to learn some amazing jutsu.

"Silence!" Sensei demanded. He shook his head but then looked up, shrugging theatrically. "You don't want this lesson? Just when I thought we could play a game." And because they were kids, they perked up immediately.

"Huh? What game?!"

"It's one you all know," he grinned, "anybody prepared to play Ninja, Academy style?" His eyes scanned the class. "As you know, squads can range in numbers but ideal being 3 but there may be a team of four -"

Hanako did a quick analyze. She realized he'll probably do it by surname, and immediately that would mean she would be in a team with Irahime. _Oh God no. _"Can we still do a three team squad? There will be 10 even teams and I'll be the partner team!" She volunteered. Uchiro raised an eyebrow and she grew nervous. "There's two-men team, right? It's common!"

"In that case," Uchiro thought about this quickly, "alright, since you volunteer, Hanako, you can team up with the last person." Last person? She ran through the names in her mind - the last being U...Uchiha.

Hanako looked at Itachi, who turned and looked at her too. He tilted his head and looked at her and she returned it with an eager smile. _Thank God I got out of that one_, she thought. He blinked, confused at her attitude and glanced at the front of the class.

"Alright, since we have that down – move out!"

"…" Crickets.

He laughed and scratched his head. Hanako's big black eyes stared at him, as all the other kids did. "Right, I forgot who I'm talking to here." He cracked his neck. "So the rules…"

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_This is weird_, Hanako thought, _I'm alone with him_. The two children were out up in the trees, searching, hiding. She snuck a glance at him. He was a bit on the thinner side, with collar length dark hair and indifferent eyes. "You're staring at me," he whispered, but his eyes never left the field, "why."

"Nothing." Hanako mumbled and turned back to look around. She heard laughter. It was clear that none of the students took this game seriously but despite Hanako's persistence, Itachi remained quiet and out of sight from the Sensei.

As time passed by. Hanako could hear students being caught from below. Due to her short attention span, she ended up watching birds and butterflies while Itachi was on guard, always watching. Growing up, she heard many praises of the great Uchiha clan and their Police force. She thought the Uchihas would be like...powerful, eager to fight but right now, he just seemed like a bore – not wanting to engage in the game or anything. Didn't he want to come crashing down on the sensei and maybe try to swing a kick or too? What fun would it be to just sit and watch? What was he, a crow?

Itachi looked at her.

"What?" Hanako whispered. She was caught off guard when Itachi's mouth twitched. Was that...a smile?

"You were thinking out loud."

"Hm?" She blinked and then flushed red. His expression realized until there was _definitely _a smile on his face. He shook his head, but she was sure he was amused.

"You can go and get yourself caught if you want," he suggested. And that was all it took for Hanako to jump down. Immediately, a dulled kunai flew right at her. It whizzed past her face and her eyes grew huge, staring at the sender – her sensei. She froze. In the next instant, a smoke bomb came down from the trees. She squeezed her eyes shut.

And then she was moving.

When she opened her eyes again, she was in Itachi's arms and he was sprinting away, far from their sensei. What was he even doing with a smoke bomb?! She felt tiny staring up at him, all scared and breathless. Gently, he landed and lowered himself so that the little girl could stand up. She tried not to sound defeated when she thanked him. A hint of a smile was playing on his mouth.

"So I'll play this your way then! What's the plan, captain?" She asked, feeling high spirited from the brief adrenaline rush. She wanted to forget her failed plan. He looked up at the sky and shrugged. Her face dropped in disappointment but then her eyes caught the movement of a swing set. "Itachi! Look!"

"It's a swing set," he said slowly, watching the girl, wondering why she thought it was so interesting.

"Yes," she said equally slow, appraising him now as well, "they're for swinging on…" she wondered if he had ever played on one before. She looked at him closely. Probably not. He was still looking at her as if she was insane. And then he blinked and caught on.

"We'll get caught for sure if we play in it."

"So?"

"…" He stared. There was a certain maturity in his gaze, like he was assessing her. Finally she sighed and slumped on the branch, keeping a hand on the tree. "You're a dream killer, Itachi Uchiha."

He raised an eyebrow, eyes wide. "And your dream is to swing on a branch?"

"My dream," she said slowly, a grin spreading "is to be stronger than the main Hyuga family." She swung her legs excitedly at the thought of it. That was what she wanted – to be stronger, to be better, to prove to everyone that they were wrong about her being weak merely because she didn't have the Byakugan. She was getting so caught up in that fantasy that she had to shake her head. "How about you?"

Itachi seemed surprise for some reason, as if he had never thought about a dream or goal. He sat down. "Hm," he said, "I haven't really thought about it."

"C'mon," she pursued, black eyes wide, "there has to be something."

"I guess I want…peace," he shrugged, "no more countless deaths." She stared. She hadn't expected such a noble answer, especially when her own was to be better than others. She was quick to change the subject.

"Do you have your Sharingan yet, Itachi?"

"Not yet," he admitted, and then he moved to stand up on the branch, "but soon."

"We should train together!" Hanako shot up too, enthusiastically in the way children did when they were excited. "I mean, I don't have my Byakugan either. Maybe we just need to push each other!"

"Aren't all Hyugas born with it?" He asked curiously. She flushed.

"Well yeah! But it just means I'll be stronger when I do have it, since I worked harder for it." Or at least, that was what her father had always said.

"That sounds about right," he nodded but he sounded distracted.

"So what do you say, comrade?" He looked at her curiously, still wondering why she looked so eager. Children at the Uchiha compound were never like this towards him. They were observant, on guard, hesitant...distant. And she...wasn't. "After this, we'll have some serious kekkei genkai training!"

And then Itachi Uchiha smiled – a real one, before warning Hanako that another kunai was flying straight at her head.

* * *

Hi, Naruto Fandom! How you doing? :)

Just a note, but I actually did not watch all of the Naruto episodes, nor did I watch Shippuden, rather I watched specific episodes and fell in love with Itachi's character. His complex personality and history made me itch to write a story in a different perspective of his life.

Hope you enjoyed this!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

It was a strange sight for the entire class to see the blonde haired girl skip alongside Itachi Uchiha. Even sensei Uchiro stared, wondering what could have possibly happened in that single hour that could have bonded the two opposites.

"So, we won." Hanako stated with a wide, toothy grin. Sometimes Itachi forgot that she was five. It was only a year difference, but looking down at her now – at the girl with chubby cheeks and wide, impossibly dark eyes – she looked so _young_. And she was so weird, he thought, so unlike a Uchiha. But then again, she wasn't. He shouldn't expect her to have the harsh standards of his clan.

And she was talking…Talking, talking, talking. As if it was so natural for her to glare at him one day, and then eager to befriend the next.

"So why don't you have your Sharingan yet? I mean, aren't you like super _super_ strong? Dad always said the Uchiha clan and the Hyugas have the strongest dojutsu kekkei genkai."

"Shouldn't I be asking _you _that?" He replied, wondering out loud curiously. And then her mood flipped again. She stopped and narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm a Hyuga! Why does everyone doubt it!" She cried indignantly and then rushed ahead quickly. He caught up with her easily, although why, he did not know. Why should it even matter to Itachi that this girl ran away from him? Yet despite his bewilderment, he felt the need to defend himself.

"I don't doubt it," Itachi explained, not realizing it was such a touchy subject, "it's just…unusual." She puckered her lips to the side in contemplation. And as quickly as it appeared, her anger was gone and she seemed normal again.

"Well that's what they think. That's why I have to…turn it on, or something, _somehow_." She sounded quiet, and the determination in her voice was obvious. She sighed and shook her head. "Well," Hanako shrugged, "that's why we're training. We gotta be strong, and protect the Leaf Village, right?"

He has never heard truer words.

"So did you know Obito?"

"Obito?" He repeated with a frown. They were getting close to the where the Uchicha clan resided at the outskirts of the village. Hanako was looking around curiously, eyes taking in everything for the first time. Some people of his clan stared back at her, at the girl with such bright hair in a village of people dominantly with dark hair like his own.

"Yeah! He's a Uchiha right?" She asked, and fidgeted uncomfortably, mood darkened. "Well, he was."

"Oh," Itachi said, realizing what she was asking for, "Obito from the Kannabi Bridge mission."

"I would've loved to meet him," she practically glowed "Especially Kakashi Hatake – the one who received his Sharingan." She sighed. "He must be amazing. For someone to accept a kekkei genkai without the blood line. It makes me wonder what's my excuse - why can't _I _do it, you know?"

Itachi felt awkward hearing this girl worship some shinobi, so he remained quiet. Hanako leaned over and looked at him curiously. "What's wrong? You're quiet." She slowly seemed to realize something and started laughing. "Well you're always quiet but you seem, hm," she paused and tapped her fingers against her lips, "distracted."

He was in front of his home. Now he felt even more awkward. He hadn't actually expect her to follow him all the way but since they were talking, he didn't notice how close they had been getting. "Do you live here?" She asked, eyes big as always, taking everything in. "It's huge!" Itachi shrugged and then stopped, thinking_. Should I ask her in? No, that would be strange. When did I even agree to train with her? Well it would be impolite to tell her to leave. Mother would probably..._

"Itachi? Is that you?" It was his mother, Mikoto Uchiha. She was holding his baby brother in her arms. Fixated on his younger sibling, he didn't notice his mom's shock of seeing her usually aloof son with a girl. She smiled. "You're not usually home early. Who's your guest?" She asked as her son walked up to her and touched the baby's head affectionately.

"Oh, this is just someone for school. We had an assignment together and –"

"Wow!" Hanako ran up to the Uchihas and stared down at the baby as if she had never seen one before. "Look at that! It's so small!" She seemed genuinely fascinated. Mikoto laughed.

"His name is Sasuke," she said warmly.

"Your brother's cute, comrade," Hanako said and then gasped slightly when the baby reached out to hold her finger. Little Sasuke was bubbling with laughter. She beamed at the baby and Itachi wondered how black eyes could shine so bright.

Hanako was staring at him. "Hey, Itachi? What's wrong?" He had a distant expression on his face. She couldn't help but look at Itachi for awhile longer. Meanwhile the older woman was appraising the two kids with a knowing expression. And then she broke the silence and laughed to herself. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name!"

"Oh!" Hanako looked up, excited as usual. "I'm Hanako Hyuga!"

"Hanako, hm?" And then the mother smiled. Hanako Hyuga.

_Four hours later…_

"Why are you…so much…" she was breathless, hunched over and wincing up at Itachi, "so much better than me!" With a last ditch effort, she launched another kunai at him which he deflected easily with his own. "It doesn't seem to matter what I do, why can't I do anything _right_? Why can't I just be gifted with this!" She disregarded the fact that at such a young age, she was able to properly wield a kunai - a feat many couldn't accomplish until later weeks at the Academy.

"Is this about the Byakugan again?" Itachi noticed how all her faults were always directed towards the missing dojutsu.

"Well yeah!" She took in a deep breath, steadying herself. "I tell everybody that I'm a Hyuga, but look at me." Frustrated tears stung her eyes. "I don't even look like one."

"Hanako, just because you're blonde doesn't mean you're not a Hyuga." Itachi said as if this was obvious. She looked up, weary, but grateful of what he said. And then she marked the hundredth scratch on the tree, the account of all her failed attacks at her comrade. It was now night time, and the two had been training for hours. They were caught up in strategies, training, and strangely enough - talking.

Somehow, Itachi felt parts of him slip away…in a good way. It was the first time he had ever really connected with anybody that was outside his family, and even that, it was limited to his younger brother, and his mother – _maybe._

But here he was now, laughing and talking with Hanako, comforting her even. It was strangely easy to connect to this girl. He noticed that Hanako gave all of herself in the conversation, holding nothing back. It was easy to reach out to someone who not just met him halfway, but the entire distance.

"One more try!" She shouted, running and grabbing one of the discarded weapons on the ground and throwing them at Itachi. This one was faster. He brought his blade up to block it, but he had lost sight of the blonde girl. Next thing he knew, she was over his head, coming down fast and finally, through the exhaustion, he didn't bother moving out of the way.

And she landed on top of him. He felt the impact of being thrown to the ground. The feeling of being attacked sent an adrenaline rush – everything slowed down, right down to the locks of blonde hair that whipped with the wind – but it was subtle, calming almost.

"I did it!"

He could only groan. It wasn't even because she was heavy but he groaned because he had never experienced anything like this before. Slowly he closed his eyes, and relaxed his muscles. He stayed like that for who knew how long, just breathing. Silent. Finally, he opened up his eyes and Hanako was on top of him, signature long blonde hair dangling over his face.

"I beat you, comrade." She grinned, triumph. His ears were so attuned to her voice, and solely that.

"Hardly," he closed his eyes again but his tone was light, "you got me. But I wouldn't say _beat_ me."

He heard her sigh. "I guess not." At her resigned tone, he opened his eyes to see her collapse next to him, throwing out her arms.

They laid there, in the middle of the forest, weapons surrounding them. "It's getting pretty late," Itachi murmured. Hanako nodded, but she didn't really care. It was nice for her to just lie here next to Itachi, hearing his voice. She never really had much company, especially with her father gone on missions. Her endorphins were crazy, she was exhausted and sore and she was sweating so much it fell like tears from her face. But it was _good_. She felt like she could fall asleep right then and there.

"We make a good team, Itachi."

To be honest, this was the only team – partnership, really – he could imagine himself with. "Hm."

She rolled over to look at him, a huge grin on her face. "We're going to be teams until we get to jonin level, got it? We'll be…a tag team dojutsu user!" He laughed at the ridiculous name, a title only Hanako could be proud to say out loud.

"Sure."

"Sureeeeee what?"

He turned his head to the side, grass tickling his cheeks, and looked at her curiously.

"Comrade! Say it! We're comrades!" She seemed so determined. He didn't want to get her hopes up and saying it out loud – it was like declaring that they'll be in a team forever – which was unlikely, knowing his father. _No_, he decided to worry about that later and so he gave in, calling her his comrade. She smiled, satisfied, and then lay back down flat on the ground. And for awhile they stayed like that, looking up at the sky silently.

Eventually, Itachi sat up and looked down at her, nudging Hanako's shoulder. "We should go. Your family might get worried."

"And yours?" She shot back rebelliously, not wanting to go home.

"I live _right there_." He said and pointed towards the clearing. "You, on the other hand, live somewhere…else." She laughed at this. "Okay, okay, I'm up."

Itachi stood up and held a hand out at her. She was 5 – she didn't feel touched the way teenagers would – but she appreciated the gesture. He pulled her up and she dusted herself, even though Hanako was still coated with dirt and sweat while Itachi had a bit of sand on his back. He looked up at the dark sky.

"I'll walk you –" he stopped and his face softened when he saw that Hanako seemed to forget how to stand up on her own. She was staring cautiously at the ground, arms out trying to balance herself. Her legs _killed_. She grinned shyly and then held out her arms. "A little help for your comrade?"

He ended up carrying her on his back and they were crossing the neighbourhoods when he heard his mother call out his name. Itachi turned back to check on the girl on his back, his comrade had already fallen fast asleep, her fingers tightly on his shoulders.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Hm," Hanako groaned, rolling over sleepily. Her eyes opened just a fraction but she knew she was somewhere unfamiliar. She shot up immediately.

"Oh, you're awake!" It was Mikoto, Itachi's mother. Hanako blinked.

"What time is it-?" She asked slowly, wondering if her father would get angry at her for staying out all night. The girl watched as Mikoto dampened a towel and wipe Hanako's face gently with it. She never had motherly affection like this before, not one that she remembered clearly.

"It's 9 – don't worry, you're fine. I've already told your father you'll be arriving home late." She stopped cleaning up the child, putting down the towel. Mikoto had checked in with her son and Hanako's training during the afternoon and knew immediately they would forget about the time. When she had went to the Hyugas to inform the clan of this, they disregarded it immediately. Clans were usually careful of their younger generations to make sure reputations are maintained…yet they had brushed Mikoto's message off as if Hanako wasn't even their own. She had known several Hyugas during her kunoichi days, but this was different. It was upsetting.

Mikoto shook that thought away and smiled at the blonde child. "You must be hungry."

Hanako shot up a huge smile and said, "I'm starving!"

"I'll clean you up first, and then cook you up something. Itachi and his father already ate, so it'll be just us, how does that sound?" Mikoto laughed and cleaned the last of dirt from her face. She nodded eagerly. She liked Mikoto – a lot. She was just so kind to her and had a gentle nature that she noticed was similar to Itachi's.

After being scrubbed up, Hanako sat down in the kitchen and watched as Itachi's mother prepare food. Her eyes shifted to the door as it slid open.

"Oh, you're awake." It was Itachi who looked pleasantly surprised. She beamed at him, and then her eyes moved to his mother who was placing a bowl of noodles in front of her. Suddenly the act of kindness moved her, because no one had ever made her feel so much like a family. Something was irritating her eye and she felt it water.

"What's wrong, Hanako?" Itachi asked, sitting in front of her. She shook her head quickly, and then wiped the tears with the back of her shaking hand. _Why am I crying? I'm not a baby!_

"It's okay - I'm okay!" She stammered. She thanked Mikoto for the meal and wolfed it down as the lady smiled at her, touching the top of her head and the boy, watching closely…always watching. Mikoto turned to her son with a curious expression, but Itachi was staring intently at the smiling girl. Then he reached out and poked her cheek. Hanako stopped.

"Hey," she said with a drawl and frown, "what was that for?"

"You have a hole in your cheek." Itachi stated, confused. She blinked. Mikoto turned and had to hide her laugh.

"It's a dimp -" She began but the little girl looked like she wanted to cry and slapped his hand away from her.

"...you're so weird, Itachi!"

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Quick, comrade!" Hanako whispered, waving him over. He sighed and shook his head, putting his hand in his pockets.

"You can go alone." He suggested, not wanting to walk into the Hyuga districts. She narrowed her eyes at him stubbornly, and ran up to him, grabbing his arm and dragging him past the wall gates. Like the Uchihas, the clan members lived in a more private area - and for good reason. Here, there were plenty of plants and flowers growing in contained gardens. It was peaceful here, and quiet. He tried to imagine a loud girl like Hanako living here and it made him chuckle.

She looked up, confused. "What's funny?"

"Nothing." _Just you._ "So where is it –" He stopped talking and pulled Hanako behind him, hiding behind a corner of a house. He didn't know why he did; it was just instinct to him. There were two people deep in furious conversation. He looked over at his comrade, her eyes were wide. "But it's father –" Itachi shook his head, lips to his finger. She seemed unsure, but remained still and quiet.

"Are you sure her mother didn't commit…an act of adultery?"

Hanako froze, and panicked. Itachi's eyes went wide with shock. Hiraku, her father, clenched his fist.

"She would _never_."

"You understand why I have to confirm this, don't you? Come on, Hiruka, the fact that you raised her is blinding you from the truth. All Hyugas inherit the Byakugan, it is what define us as Hyugas. Your daughter has no ounce of our kekkei genkai. I tried to look the other way for all these years because of Kazumi's death, but it's troubling me."

"There has to be some sort of glitch –"

"_There is no glitch_! Hiraku! You are making excuses and you know it. Hanako could not be a Hyuga, it is just impossible." The head of the family lost his patience and temper. After a long silent moment, Hiashi walked, and Hiraku followed, their voices became more distant. "I believe in protecting the Byakugan and keeping it within our clan, and your _daughter_ is not included in this furthermore. Please understand this…"

Itachi turned back to Hanako worriedly. He reached out to her. "Hanako –"

She turned away, shaking, and for a moment, he thought she was crying. But when he looked closer, her eyes were set in a way that could only be anger.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Team mates?" Hanako asked, turning in her seat to Itachi, who nodded. They were doing an assignment in class about proper body parts in relationship with taijutsu. He thought she would be bouncing with excitement with the prospect of fighting, but ever since the morning, she seemed quiet.

Once into the work, she still remained uncharacteristically silent. At last, Itachi sighed and pushed the paper works aside. She looked up, eyebrows pulled together. "Hey –"

"We should talk, Hanako."

"I don't want to," she muttered stubbornly and pulled the papers back. He stared at her, his dark eyes appraising. He weighed whether or not to let her cool down, or push her into talking. He was about to chose the later when he sensed that Uchiro was behind him. "Yes, sensei?" He turned around. Uchiro had to hide the shock that he felt when the younger boy had heard him coming, when being a chunin, Uchiro moved silently.

"Let's have a talk, Itachi."

The day ended, and Hanako's comrade was nowhere in sight. She sat on the edge of the playground alone, watching the students pour out of the Academy. She sat there, and waited.

He didn't come and eventually, she gave up. But she had nowhere to go. The thought of going home was…was not an option. Her eyes burnt and tears were threatening to break through, but her pride would not allow it. She felt completely alone and…empty. It was the worse feeling. Every inch of her being wanted to go somewhere, to belong somewhere but her mind blocked every idea. Go to Itachi? Not possible. Stay here? Can't. Go into town? But then what?

Her hands were shaking. She clutched the rope of the swing set tightly, but did not cry. Instead, her hopelessness faded, and for the second time today, she was angry. Angry at the world, angry at the village.

She got up, and started walking. Anywhere. It didn't matter. In fact, she wanted to leave the village. As time passed by, her anger faded and was replaced by the feeling of hurt and abandonment. Then she looked up and saw a familiar looking boy in high-collared dark outfit.

"Itachi –" She called out then stopped herself. The boy turned around, and looked at her – and then smiled.

"Close, but not quite." The boy grinned. "Hi, I'm Shisui."

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Sit down, Itachi." And so he did. The boy knelt in front of his father politely but kept a cool gaze. He and his father had always gotten along well. Itachi was the epitome of the perfect heir to the Uchiha clan after all - skilled beyond belief, disciplined, smart. Usually, Itachi was happy to be around his father. But not now.

"Your sensei told me that you refuse my request," Fugaku said, his mouth in a stern line. Itachi tightened his fist and moved his eyes straight at his father. Earlier today, he had been pulled out of the class and was told he would be advancing to the next grade. The first year at Academy taught the preliminary of ninja arts, things Itachi already naturally excelled in, and his father was pushing him to continue on. If it wasn't for Hanako, he would've easily skipped the grade…but Hanako _was _a part of it, and that changed things.

"I'm sorry, father." He apologized. "But I don't want too." Mikoto turned around and looked at the two men of her family uncomfortably. She had taken a liking into the young Hanako, and automatically knew that she was the one that kept Itachi in the class. Fugaku turned to his wife, and Mikoto just shook her head softly. She came to her eldest son, and put an arm on him.

"Your father just wants the best for you, Itachi."

"You are so much better than the rest of those kids." Fugako added.

"There's talent in the class too!" Itachi argued. His father looked surprise at the quick defense, while Mikoto just looked down but not quite hiding her smile. Itachi sighed. "I'm sorry." He said again. He excused himself and got up and left when his father simply closed his eyes.

He wandered around the closed village, the sun falling fast in the sky. Like always, his eyes shifted to the side when he realized he was being followed. He turned around to face the person, and saw that it was his closest friend from the Uchiha clan. "Shisui," he sighed, "what are you doing?"

"Stalking," the older boy grinned. Shisui Uchiha was one of his closest friends in the Uchiha clan. Both were similar in the way that they were exceedingly talented, even considering Uchiha standards. Shisui was almost done with the Academy, being 9 years old – 3 years older than Itachi. "So, guess what happened today?"

"Early graduation?" Itachi asked, taking a seat on the steps of a shrine. His friend chuckled.

"No, but strange you would guess that." Shisui pulled out a tanto and started playing with it. "Anyhow, I met one of your friends today."

"I don't have many," Itachi said lightly. Nobody understood him completely, or the fact that he felt too old for his age.

"You have me…and Hanako." Itachi looked up immediately. Hanako?

"What happened?"

"Well," the older boy stretched out his legs in front of him, "she was just wandering around and she mistook me for you." He shrugged. "She seemed lonely, so I walked home with her. And then we were talking –" He stopped abruptly and laughed. "She's a nice kid. Short attention span. She saw Hatake and ran off to introduce herself. After that she seemed fine."

_Again with Kakashi._

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"I'm sorry, but I just don't feel like talking about it." Kakashi said to the odd blonde girl. Through tired eyes, he looked down at the little girl who had such an eager expression that he sighed. Rin, standing next to him, smiled. It was a sad smile, but one nonetheless. Two years had passed since they lost their former team member, but still the pain stayed. Rin looked at the younger girl and said kindly, "its fine, really."

Kakashi and Rin were now 15 years old. Kakashi was a part of the ANBU, and Rin a part of the medical division. When Hanako spotted the white-headed teen, she begged Shisui to not be offended and left to talk to him. The two older ninjas were walking when the 5 year old jumped at them with questions.

"How old were you anyways? You must've been a baby when it happened," Rin said softly, patting the seat next to her. Hanako nodded enthusiastically.

"I was 3!" She said proudly. Kakashi sighed. He wasn't annoyed, but rather he just wanted to avoid the topic altogether. Hanako turned to him, leaning in, eyes wide.

"Can I see it?" She pleaded. He leaned back.

"The Sharingan?" Kakashi asked doubtfully, ready to say no. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"Actually," she said in a bright tone, "I was thinking about the chidori-"

"No." He said immediately and turned away. Rin bit back a smile as Hanako's mouth twitched, disappointed. Then she propped herself up, kneeling on the seat and raising a hand.

"I just don't understand how you could do it," Hanako muttered and stared disappointedly at her hand. From the corner of his eyes, he saw one arm on her wrist, steadying it as her chakra formed into sparks -

His eyes widened.

"But how –" Rin said incredulously and turned to Kakashi, who was equally speechless. But as soon as she spoke, the sparks died and Hanako slumped in her seat, lips puckered to the side.

"I'm sorry," the girl said, bringing her hands to her laps and balling them up in a fist.

"What are you apologizing for her? That was great! What did you say your name was?" Rin asked. The little girl perked up.

"I'm Hanako, Hanako Hyuga!"

_Hyuga_? Behind the mask, Kakashi smiled.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

When Itachi walked into the classroom early the next day, Sensei Uchiro nodded once at him. It was confirmed – it was happening. He would be transferred out. "You would be tied down anyways," Uchiro chuckled, scratching his head. Itachi shrugged.

"Thank you for teaching me this much," Itachi bowed politely. Uchiro put a hand on his shoulder, a grin on his face.

"I've only been your sensei for 3 days, but you're a good kid, Itachi. I hope the next class will be challenging enough for you." _But from what I've seen so far, I doubt it, _Uchiro thought. Itachi turned to leave as the bell rung and the teacher heard the other students arrive. Hanako walked into the class, scanned around and did not saw Itachi. When she peaked back out at the door, she saw his retreating figure and her face lit up. She called out his name, and he turned just barely.

"Hey! Where are you going?" She asked, confused. This was Itachi – he wouldn't make a mistake like going into the wrong classroom. He looked at her, expression guarded.

"Into my class."

"But it's …" she let her words drift, unsure of what was happening.

"I'm taking another class now," he said in a neither gentle nor harsh tone, "a skip." Hanako's eyebrows furrowed beneath her fringe and her mouth twitched.

"But we're team mates," she tried again softly.

"I'm sorry," he said and he truly was, "I didn't mean to get your hopes up like that." He could always train with her another time, he thought, it wasn't like this was the end.

But Hanako didn't see it like that. In her head, she was thinking about the first time she met Itachi…that he would be better than her, that she wasn't good enough. _Again_. She couldn't accept the fact that although she kept up, although she trained with him for hours and came out victorious – _despite _all of that, she wasn't good enough to be in the same class as Itachi Uchiha.

"We were comrades!" She half-shouted, and her voice broke, "Remember?"

Itachi shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to say. He was just a boy, after all. But as she stared at him longer, she came to a conclusion. Her lips parted and eyes still, finally she broke contact and look down. It was the first time Itachi had ever seen her look so defeated. And to his surprise, she apologized.

"You're right," she said but she sounded distant, "I'm sorry. I was being childish." And silently, Hanako swore that she would never think Itachi and her were ever and will ever be the same.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Hanako went to the Hyuga Clan's residence that evening, home alone. She stood in front of the walls and stared. She felt like a stranger, like it was there meant to keep her out. She turned around and saw Irahime behind her walking home from the Academy as well. Irahime caught her eye, and for the first time, the other Hyuga girl felt sympathy for the blonde girl.

"Hanako…" Irahime said awkwardly. As a recognized and well-above average member of the clan, Irahime was already told about Hanako's uncertain bloodline. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here," She replied dryly. Irahime looked away, and muttered a soft, "if you say so," but walked ahead and freely into the neighbourhood. But Hanako stayed there, staring in front. She felt unwelcome. Her heart felt tight. She wanted her father with her, her mother, Itachi – _anybody _but nobody came. And for the fifth time in the past few days, she felt alone.

And it was enough.

She hated not being good enough. She hated that the things about her that _were _great – she mastered shadowed clone jutsu, her genjutsu surpassed and ninjutsu surpassed many others her age, and older – but yet those were all over looked. Every. Single. One.

Taking off, she decided to run – run anywhere. She ran past the woods that were the Village's back yard. She went from tree to tree in a similar way chunin ninjas were able too, despite her small figure. The thought angered her. She could be as great as any other ninja, but the fact that she did not inherit the Byakugan would always set her apart. If she was anyone _but _a Hyuga, her life could have been perfect. Anger shook through her and she stopped to punch a tree.

"Sorry," she apologized meekly. She stopped, hearing a branch crack that echoed someone's presence. Hanako turned around warily. "Who's there?" She shouted into the shadows of the forest. Still, there was silence, but Hanako did not doubt herself. She narrowed her eyes, wishing she had the Byakugan to see if there was anybody around. _If only_, she thought, _but no point in wishing now._

"I heard you, just come out!" She called. It couldn't possibly be a Leaf ninja, they would have make their presence known. There was no point in hiding from another member, especially not from a little girl. It had to be an intruder. And then she heard it. Immediately, her body twisted and she flung a kunai knife exactly where she heard the most subtle brush of clothing against the tree. Then, a man emerged.

_This is bad this is bad this is bad! There's _actually_ someone here! _She forced herself not to panic, to think straight, to not show fear. This was not the time to be afraid.

"Well, well, why is there a little baby like you out here, huh?" It was a man, and definitely not from Konohagakure. He looked at her and wanted to laugh. _She's tiny, bit size! _He had bandaged wrapped around his neck, and clothing tight to his muscle and when he gave a cruel smile to the child, she saw his teeth were sharpened.

_That's it_, Hanako thought, repressing her fear, she recognized that trait immediately – he had to be one of the Swordsmen of the Mist. Her father had talked about them once: that they from Mist Village and were the strongest blade wielding shinobi of their generation. _But what is he doing here?_

Hanako wasn't sure of how she should be feeling. The hopeful, idealistic side of her told her that just because they were strong it did not mean they were evil. But why would a member be here? Why like this?

"What is your business here?" She asked loudly. But the man was clever as he was dangerous, and knew that she was not a threat. And Hanako knew it too. Her hands started to shake even though she screamed at herself mentally to stop. _Get a hold of yourself, Hanako! _Her head started forming plans. If she talked loudly enough to him, a ninja on patrol may be able to hear and come to her resc –

"This is going to suck," the man sighed lazily and then looked at her with a predator's grin, "but don't take this personally."

And with that, the reasonable voice in her head vanished and left her in frenzy.

_Step._

"You were just here and the wrong place and time, kid." He touched the sword behind his back and then shook his head and laughed. "Nah, that would be cruel."

_Step._

"I'll just make this real quick, you won't feel a thing."

_MOVE HANAKO, MOVE!_

"Such a little thing too…"

_YOU HAVE TO MOVE. ANYTHING. JUST HIDE. OR…OR THROW SOMETHING._

But she couldn't. She was trembling so bad her fingers couldn't grasp a kunai. But somehow, she managed too, and her arms followed and threw the knife at the ninja but he deflected it without even blinking. She slunk down, and focused her eyes, forcing herself to be ready…but…but for what?

She was protected her entire short life. And now, she was in real danger.

_He's going to kill me._

"I actually feel bad about this but I can't have you telling anybody I'm here," he shrugged in mock remorse.

_He's going to kill me. And I will die._

_I am not going to survive._

And then the invader came at her fast now, deciding to pull out his large sword. Her eyes widened, her heart race and she heard the deafening sound of her heartbeat – no, she _felt_ it – felt it through her bones, in her blood, and all over her body.

The sword shifted for a clean blow, the shine of the blade blinding. The flash of it made death real to her. Shock and _something else _suddenly burnt through each of nerve and every chakra flow in her body. And in that very moment, Hanako looked up at her killer and at last she saw _everything_.

* * *

Thanks so much for the reviews so far, guys! Please **review**, tell me everything you're thinking - I read them all :) I hope you enjoy this update!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"This is it? This is all that you could find?" The shinobi asked, voice detached. It was better for him to think of it as mere scraps of a case rather than the remains of someone of his own village. He reached down and dragged his finger through the blood stained on the tree, and examined the stands of white blonde hair that scattered around the whole premises. From the look of it, the victim was moving – or maybe thrown – against several trees until finally, the body went missing.

"It disappears after this. Whoever came must have taken her." The kunoichi looked away, unable bearing to look at the scene professionally. "Maybe it's better this way… that we didn't have to see the body."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Classes are cancelled today," sensei Uchiro said, his voice hollow. _I can't believe it. Just yesterday…_ "Go straight home."

The young students looked up, and then at each other in confusion. Irahime frowned. "But it's not even the first week of school yet, why is there a break? Is something wrong?"

"Yes." Uchiro said calmly, but he couldn't look at the children. They were such vulnerable creatures – so fragile, so much to live for. And it grieved him to imagine any of them not having a shot for the next day. Hanako would've been strong...but that didn't seem to matter much, after all.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_Early dismissals? _Itachi wondered to himself as his new sensei told everyone to return directly home. He guessed it wasn't so bad. Maybe he could catch up with Hanako. The last time he saw her, he had hurt her so he vowed that this time, he'll try to make her laugh again.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

The skies were gray that day. Hiraku Hyuga stood in front of the tiny cut of stone in which he adorned with bright yellow daisies. He had been standing there for hours, still. When day fell and night reached the village, the Third Hokage stepped out and joined the grieving man.

People walked by. Children. Shinobi. They stared. And they left.

But not this one. "Let's go, Itachi." A woman said quietly, putting a hand on her son. The young boy was frozen ten feet behind the man and Hokage. One hand was shaking, and his mouth open in a slight breath. Then suddenly the dark skies began to shower a rain over the village until a fine mist reflected off every surface and wilted down the flowers. His mother looked down at her son and saw that her son's face had fallen wet before the rain even fell.

"Mom?" His voice broke and went unheard behind the drizzle. "Hey mom?" He tried again, his hands in his mother's. She felt the tremor and heard her son's voice clearly, as quiet as it was. "Is...is it raining? His face was wet...but why? He didn't cry. Itachi Uchiha did not cry.

"It is," she said softly, squeezing his hand and closing her eyes, "it's raining, Itachi."

* * *

Short update. Nonetheless, hope you enjoyed!


	5. Part Two: Chapter 5

Part Two

Chapter Five

_11 years ago…_

"This is going to be great. Life changing. Record breaking!" The man cheered, slamming his cup on the table. His friend laughed merrily. The entire village was buzzing with anticipation, more so than they ever have. Even though this event took place twice a year for as long as the village could remember, this time, it would be different.

It was the Chunin exam.

And this year, Itachi Uchiha was taking a part of it.

There were skilled young ninjas every biannual event, but the thought of an Uchiha, and not just one – but two _of the same team _going up against each other drew high ranking leaders from all Lands. Anyone who had even the slightest ties to the Leaf Village gathered today to see the tournament. Strangers, some intimidating and some just _strange _strangers stood out.

The little girl with black hair, however, did not. Even if she had on a traveller's cloak, came alone and wore no headband. She made her way to the stadium and there were ANBU members guarding the third level, where the higher-ups and Daimyo council members sat. One ANBU caught the sight of the girl, and in the next instant, he was behind her.

"You're not from around here, are you?" He asked in a cool voice with his face hidden behind a dog mask. The girl smiled, surprised her genjutsu that made her unrecognisable worked this well on someone that skilled. But since it was this man in particular, she pulled down her hood, stripping off her genjutsu to show her true, and although different, recognizable frame.

Even behind the mask, it was clear the man froze.

"_It's you._"

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Proctor Nozomaku looked around and grinned. The excitement in the crowd was undeniable, and he couldn't deny it – he felt it too. This was the great Uchiha clan after all, and now today, a child prodigy is going up against his own clansman.

"Itachi Uchiha and Kenta Uchiha!" He announced and the crowd erupted in animalistic applause. The two were quick, and in a flash they stood in front of him. This could get messy, the proctor thought. Although he heard all about Itachi, his opponent was another Uchiha so it probably would not be a quick battle. _I just hope they don't kill each other...it would be a huge waste of talent._

"You know the rules, I don't have to repeat myself." He said, and watched the two. Kenta, who was 5 years older than Itachi, activated his Sharingan while Itachi stood patiently. "Begin!"

The proctor left dust in his trails as he vanished to the higher levels. The crowd was fidgeting with anticipation, all trying to capture every moment.

"So, team mate, I'm not surprised at all that we're what's left." Kenta grinned. Itachi didn't say anything. He had heard his clan speak highly of themselves for years now, and he found it unnecessary each time. He activated his fully matured Sharingan as well.

"Today's going to be the day I defeat you, Itachi!" Kenta declared, and immediately made quick hand signs. Itachi didn't even have to use his Sharingan to guess what move it would be.

"Fire release, great fireball!"

And as quick as the fireball appeared, Itachi jumped out of the way and in air, he preformed the hand signs for the Phoenix Sage Fire technique. Kenta, skilled as well, recognized it and laughed. "Your fire against mine, huh? We'll see about that!" When Kenta saw that there was no fire, he laughed even louder.

"Nervous? Come on Itachi, I thought you were better –" He stopped, his red eyes widened. "Wait, _what_?" His own fireball changed into multiple controlled but unpredictable lashes of fire. _How is it possible?! Did that punk actually stole my fire? _ Kenta lowered himself, growling with fury of being tricked, and jumped out of the way of one, two, three of the fire attacks. _Where is he? Where's that damn Itachi?_

He gasped, remembering how his team mate usually acted. Quickly, Kenta turned around and as he suspected, Itachi had appeared behind him but even then, Kenta was not fast enough to dodge the attack. The younger boy took a kunai and threw it powerfully enough to pierce Kenta through his shoulder, and using his own chakra, he pushed the kunai – with Kenta attached to it – straight to the ground.

But because Kenta was an Uchiha, he did not scream.

"Alright, alright! Stop!" The Proctor was back – it had been less than a minute since he had stood there.

The crowd was silent with shock. Chunin, Jonin, ANBU and the Sharingan-bearing ninjas were able to see the battle for precision and glory it really was, but everyone else had seen it as just a flash of fire and in the next second, a boy had a kunai straight through his shoulder and protruding out of his back on the ground while the younger of the two stood his ground and stared down. Kenta looked down, shaking, holding his shoulder and staring with wide frantic eyes as he felt the hole through his shoulder. _It...it went through..!_

"That's it," Nozomaku said, his voice low in amazement. He looked at the Third Hokage and the council members, surprise clear on their face. Only Danzo Shimura kept his expression guarded, his mind calculating. "It's over."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_Hanako Hyuga_, the stone read. The out of town stranger stared at it, feeling the oddest sense of being in a dream. The gravestone was not aged, but it was bare and obviously left unattended for awhile now. She frowned. Had no one to visit? Was it just the initial shock of death the reason why the name was engraved, but then left forgotten after the news of worn off?

Why did no one care for her?

The girl turned around when she heard the slightest steps around the corner. She vanished, and hung at the roof tops, looking down. She narrowed her eyes. Who was that? The dark hair looked familiar enough but –

"Hanako, come out here." The man said, his eyes closed. She gasped, and recognizing him, she clenched her fist and glared at the ground. _Too slow, _she thought angrily to herself, _of course he would recognize me. He has the eyes. _

"Hiashi Hyuga." She said approaching him, chin up and eyes still. He stared at her, but he did not look angry…or even surprised. He looked unwavering, his hands behind his back and his eyes solemn.

"Are you back because of your father, Hanako?" He asked, his tone indifferent as if she _wasn't _assumed dead for years. Hanako narrowed her eyes, and being a Hyuga, Hiashi was perceptive and looked at her sharply. Shock broke through his mask of calmness. "Could it be that you do not know?" He murmured, and returned to gaze back to the grave stone. Her fingers dug into her palm.

"Why are you talking about?"

Hiashi turned to her, his eyes sad. He was silent for a bit, examining at her and after a moment, he sighed. "I'm sorry, Hanako." He stared straight ahead, and then shook his head, turning back to her. "But Hiraku, your father...he died during a mission."

Her breath was taken away. Hiashi appraised her, watching for a reaction but he found none but that. The young child merely stood there, her face composed. He couldn't help but stare. She looked different now, not just a four year age…more like a decade. It was not just the fact that the white blonde hair she was known now was stark black. But it was because she looked cold now, ice to the core. He wondered where she could have possibly been, _who _she couldn't been with for all this time. He frowned. He almost feared, that with all her potential, of she could even turn out to be a missing-nin...

At last, she cracked a smile and turned back to the site. "Well that explains the lack of flowers." And then she kicked the grave stone, and cracked it in half.

* * *

Thanks for reading! So yes - Hanako does not die. After all, I may kick her character around a bit...but I can't kill her off :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Do **leave a review and favourite **if you like this :)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Congratulations, brother!" Sasuke said, running up to his older brother. Itachi smiled affectionately at him, bending down to pat his head. The little boy's eyes were bright with admiration, hero worship.

"Thank you, little brother." He said and then looked towards his father who was undeniably please. He even smiled.

"You really are the best, Itachi, as I expected. Even Kenta couldn't keep up with you," he boasted. He stepped up in front of Sasuke, and Itachi stood up to look at his father. Fugaku put a hand on his first son's shoulder, blocking Sasuke's view, and said, "I'm proud of you, son." Sasuke looked down just briefly, feeling cut off from the moment, but Itachi had caught his eyes and gave him a kind look.

The Uchiha clan members all arrived at his home to congratulate him, to praise him – and even more so, talked about his future involvement in clan activities. Although he was happy to be included, he grew tired and excused himself.

"Remember, there's a meeting tonight, Itachi. It would be beneficial if you attended," his father said as Itachi turned to leave. Itachi nodded just slightly, and left to wander. He usually liked to just walk around the village, it was peaceful here. But now with the town congratulating him he knew he wouldn't be able to find anywhere quiet to relax. The only time he had a chance to stop and think was when they were checking him in the infirmary, and it was brief since it was clear he had no injury on him. As soon as that was over, he was swept to the Hokage and village leaders.

He ended up in the clearing where he trained pointless times alone or with his younger brother. And years before that – with Hanako. His eyes fell to the ground. Still after all this time, it didn't feel like she was dead. But he felt guilty, he wondered if he hadn't transfer out, maybe he would've been with her after school, and she hadn't gone wandering and…and killed.

_It's my fault. I could've changed things._

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"What happened, Hanako?"

It was early in the morning, when the air still felt cool and everyone and everything was still asleep. The girl's head moved just barely to the side to listen to the voice behind her. It was Kakashi in his ANBU uniform, hands in his pockets. He shadowed over her, looking down at the Memorial Stone. And then he lowered himself, resting his elbows against his knees and he sighed.

"Why are you back?"

"I don't know." Her voice was hoarse, as if she had not spoken a word or even opened her mouth in hours. The shinobi didn't say anything but let himself fall to seating position next to her. She leaned forward and shrugged dejectedly. "And now I don't know what to do."

"You know," he said slowly, "you're supposed to be dead."

"Weird that you're the first to bring that up," she commented dryly and then stopped, eyes widened. "Is that..?" She looked back at the stone, and reached forward to touch the name on the stone. Kakashi remained expressionless, except his eyes that lowered slightly.

"Yeah," his voice was husky, "Rin."

"I'm sorry." He looked back up at her – she changed. In the five minutes they've met, she was exuberant, easy to read and completely…innocent. She was good. Now as she apologized she sounded distant. He sympathized with her, at the other girl who had lost her father as well. In fact, he wasn't much younger than her when he lost his father.

Hanako sighed, straightening out her legs and leaned backwards against her palm. She faced the sky with closed eyes, her hair hanging behind her like a mass of black waterfall. "Can I be honest?"

"Sure."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to react to Hiraku's death." _Hiraku? _

"Your mourn. And then you move on." Kakashi said not unkindly. He stared straight ahead, but waited for a response. When none came, he turned to look at the child and she was distracted, staring at the stone, her eyes decades old.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure." He said again. _What's going on?_

And like before she did not say anything. But when he checked this time, her eyes had turn crimson and finally, her head dropped and she mourned for the father that was not hers.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Hanako's motive for training had completely disintegrated at the news of her dead father, who was killed in action. After searching around, she found out that his final days had been tainted with depression and although he did not throw his life in mission, Hiraku had nothing forcing him to stay alive. Hanako didn't know how to feel about it – her heart ached but she forced herself to think that there was nothing she could've done.

So the nine year old child wandered around the village. She went by the Academy and gawked at her former classmates – all still in class, learning, living a guarded life while she gained real life experience, where death touched her. Even though she tried to make herself feel better, she couldn't help but envy them…and their families. She had nothing.

Still Hanako stayed in the village. She was in the habit of rubbing lemon juice on a paper cut. She went to all the places that were a staple of her childhood until she reached the clearing where Itachi and her trained for hours. A small smile crept on her face. But when she reached there, she was startled to see…mini Itachi.

It had to be Sasuke – the dark hair, and typical Uchiha ensemble. The last time she saw him, he was a baby…and now he was walking around, throwing shurikens. She laughed.

"Huh? Who's there!"

_I guess I'm caught. _Hanako stepped out, smiling with her hands in the air. The boy blushed slightly, stammering and asking for her name. She hadn't plan to be honest with her answer, but at the moment, she simply did not care. She figured that since she was already unravelling everything, she might as well destroy it too. "I'm Hanako," she introduced. She looked at the little boy with inky black hair, and energetic dark eyes. He didn't have the calm, measured gaze as his older brother, but he had passion.

"Why are you here so early?" She asked. Sasuke brightened.

"Oh! Well I'm trying to hit that target over there." He pointed at a fairly large bull's eye a good fifteen yards away. "Wanna see?" He grinned and he faced the target, position himself. Hanako was instantly alarmed. _He's going to cut up his fingers if he holds it like that._

"Wait!" She called out, approaching him. Her knee dipped to the ground and she looked up at the younger boy, corrected the position of his hand on the star, "you want to hold it like this…" Sasuke watched in complete amazement. "And when you throw it, you have to account for the wind and how much strength you're putting into it. See? If you throw it like that, it'll curve…try to keep it straight and flat…"

"How do you know all of this?" He asked, openly curious. She raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

He tapped on his forehead. "You don't look like a ninja." She blinked. That was one thing she never really considered much in the past years. Technically, she wasn't a kunoichi since she hadn't graduated from the Academy. Lost in thought, she didn't notice that Sasuke had rushed up to throw the shuriken and then _bam. _

Sasuke screamed, his eyes watering up although it seemed more from shock than actual pain. Hanako had to try not to laugh as she raced to the boy. _He's nothing like Itachi, _she thought, amused. "Here, let me look at that." She propped Sasuke up against a tree and examined his knee. There was a bleeding gash, but nothing too bad. Still, she didn't want him going home hurt.

Although Hanako wasn't a Hyuga, she was raised as one so her chakra control was great. And further in training, Hanako, at age 9, had mastered the Mystical Palm. She sent excess chakra to her hand and placed them over the boy's knee as he watched in fascination. In a matter of seconds, the wound had closed up completely. Sasuke blinked and wiped away the last of his tears.

"Woah! How did you that?" He eyes big in amazement.

"I work hard." She simply said. She sat down and crossed her legs. He followed suite, seeming to forget about his target practice. She smiled. "How old are you, Sasuke?

"I'm five," he said happily. Five. The age where she had escaped with her life and left behind the Village. She quieted. Sasuke stared curiously at her. "What's wrong, sis?"

"Sis?" She repeated, a smile playing at her lips. It made her feel like she was a part of something. "Hey," she said slowly, an idea forming in her head, "do you have a brother?" _This could be dangerous._

"Yeah! He just became a chunin yesterday." He announced excitedly. "He's really good, too. I need to be like him one day."

"Why's that?"

Sasuke blinked, looking up hesitantly. "What do you mean?"

"Why do you want to be like Itachi? Don't you want to be yourself?" She challenged. To live in Itachi's shadow…that would be setting yourself up for failure. Itachi, even at his young age, was on a league of his own. "There's already one in the world, if there were two Itachis…horrible." The younger boy laughed and then stopped.

"Wait, how do you know him?" He didn't sound suspicious, just confused. And so was she until she realized her mistake. _He didn't say Itachi's name yet. _No point in lying now, she thought. "I used to know him when we were younger."

His eyebrows knit together. "Were you friends?"

She paused, and softly she said, "No, not really…"

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

A boy in a dark outfit stood in front of the grave stone, staring and frowning. It was cracked in half. He bent down and tried to pull together the pieces but it wouldn't stand right. Eventually he gave up and placed flowers on the grave. In all honesty, Itachi didn't usually visit as much as he should have since he was always paranoid about being seen here, although he didn't know exactly what he was afraid of. But after the events of his Chunin exams, he couldn't help but wonder what his life would be like if Hanako was still here - if he still had his comrade. The fantasy of that distracted him throughout his entire mission and he felt like the only way to escape it was to face it straight on.

The grave was a reminder that she was dead, and that there was no future with her.

Fists clenched and head down, a tear rolled down his cheek. He made no sound but a force choked sob and the thump of knees hitting the ground. He hunched over the graves, his fingers so tight around the grave to the point the bones of his knuckles became prominent.

And hiding in the trees was the dark haired girl, her heart swelling, ready to burst.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Like the day before, Hanako visited her father's memorial site first thing in the morning before daybreak. And like yesterday, Kakashi joined her. He looked at the two heaps at the side of her and decided to ignore it as he set down a container of food and handed her a jacket. "So you won't be wearing that cloak," he explained, to which she smiled. She replaced the dark, heavy fabric with a light, although still black, zip up jacket. He looked at her.

"Where did you stay last night?" He wondered out loud. At this, she laughed.

"Is that why you brought the food?" She asked, lifting the lid. To her pleasure, it was full of sweets and fruits.

"Now I don't usually eat this stuff so you can…" Kakashi began but the girl was already digging her way the food. She thanked him with a mouthful of food and when he couldn't help but stare at the two bodies – wearing the green flak jackets. She glanced over and shrugged.

"Oh that's a funny story. I was wandering around the village…and they stopped me and well," she took another bite and her mouth was stuffed, "I didn't make my choice to stay or leave yet and I don't want _them _to be the one making my decision."

"Oh." He wasn't very surprise that she was able to take down two chunin. She was, after all, the five year old who attempted his chidori. "Does that mean you made your choice?" She stopped midway a bite from an apple - leaving Kakashi wondering how the hell this girl ate so fast - and then put it down, lips pursed. And then she shrugged and took a bite.

"Yeah." She stood up, seemingly done with her breakfast. She fidgeted with the flowers at her father's grave, and then she vanished.

Kakashi stayed behind and sighed. Hanako seemed to have a knack for just getting up and leaving, but this one time - he hoped she would stay at the village. He was almost lost in thought until the two chunin started stirring. _Time to leave. _He slipped his ANBU mask over his face and nodded a, "good morning, gentlemen" before he left.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Hey, mom?" Sasuke asked. He looked around. Itachi was asleep after returning home late from a B-rank mission but Sasuke still felt paranoid. Mikoto looked at him and asked what's wrong. Sasuke fidgeted. "Did Itachi have a friend?"

She paused and then turned to give her son her full attention. "That's a strange thing to ask, Sasuke." The little boy looked down, embarrassed as if he was scolded but his mother smiled, and touched his face.

"Your brother has always worked well with his team mate and the clan, Sasuke." She said as she stood back up, lifting the cup of tea to her mouth. What she said was true. Itachi was utterly professional and kind, he cared for others – but he didn't run around and play with other kids, not the way kids were expected too. Itachi was hard to understand and didn't crave that affection, that was all. Still…there was one…

"Did brother have any enemy?"

Now she was curious. "None I can recall. What's bringing this all on, Sasuke?"

"I met this girl yesterday and she seemed to know Itachi but when I asked if she was his friend, she said no." Sasuke said, eyebrows pulled together as if he was thinking of a hard math question. _It couldn't possibly be… _"What was her name?"

"She's _my _friend Hanako!" Sasuke claimed brightly. At that, the cup fell from her hands and it shattered into pieces and beyond that was Itachi, staring wide eyed at his younger brother.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_There he is_, Hanako thought, trying to outdo her nervousness with boldness. She saw it now – everything going as plan. _Here's to the past._

And like years before, she jumped out of the tree and directly onto the dark haired boy except this time, she didn't land on him. He was better, faster, and stronger. Still, she managed to do a tuck, and slipped her finger beneath the chain he wore around his neck. She quickly yanked it, did a flip and landed on the ground silently, and raised the necklace.

He opened his mouth to talk but she didn't give him a chance to say anything. Remembering the last time she saw him fought, she pressured him to dodge her kunai attacks. And like she predicted, he disappeared. Quickly, she turned around to face him.

_Got you._

"Hanako –"

"Too slow." She said and then smiled. She grabbed a hold of Itachi, and raised her arm in the air.

"Lightning style, lightning rod jutsu!" She called out and then a flash of electricity shot down through her arm and travelled to Itachi. Hanako started to grin victoriously when she saw Itachi's eyes widen – but then became he washed away and she landed to the ground in a slight kneel. Yards away from her stood Itachi Uchiha, his face the same as it had been seconds ago but he was completely unharmed.

"Water clone," she muttered and then stood up straight. _Damn it, I should've used my sharingan – I would've been able to catch that. But not yet, too soon_, she thought.

"_You're alive_."

"I've changed."

"You're _alive_." He repeated.

She rolled her eyes and played a façade of arrogance. But it didn't matter how she looked at it - she lost. Here she was, defeated still by the boy that will always be a step ahead. But for some reason, she did not feel bitter about this. In fact, just seeing him..."That I am," she said with a cynical smile, "thank you for noticing." She bowed mockingly. "Still better than me I see, Itachi." He was gaping at her, trying to determine _something_.

"I don't understand," he said in a resigned tone. He looked like he didn't believe his eyes.

"It's simple," Hanako said, "I'm alive – as you've mention multiple times."

"What happened?" He took a step closer towards her, but she immediately retreated back. She was scared of his touch.

"I left the village." Short and simple. She spun his chain around her finger. "And you." His eyes glazed over but he was still staring at her, as if she was a dream.

"I thought we were supposed to be comrades." He commented, his tone soft. He couldn't grasp the reason _why _she would possibly just leave the village and everything behind.

"As if." She spat, thinking about Sasuke. Old anger was being reignited. "I would've been your sidekick, Itachi. There's people squished together up in your shadow and I don't want to be one of them." He looked up at her.

"Is that how you really feel?" His voice was quiet, eyebrows pulled together.

She opened her mouth to say something witty and mildly hurtful, but she sighed and pressed her lips together. "It's how your little brother feel." Hanako sounded tired now, the life in her voice slipping. She turned around and she could see the hurt in his eyes. Itachi really _did_ care for his brother, and wanted only the best for him. And he was struggling to see the obvious – that Sasuke would never quite live up to the expectations that Itachi had upheld so high. Itachi Uchiha would forever be _too good_. She approached him and placed the necklace into his hands.

He was still staring up at her with onyx eyes and a hopeful expression. "Just stay." He said quietly. "Please." And in that moment, Hanako saw the gentle boy who visited her grave and cried for her.

* * *

It was my birthday yes :) Just a little side note there. Anywaaaays, hope you enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"So is this a regular thing now? Rise and shine, and go feed the homeless girl at the cemetery?"

"Technically this isn't a cemetery," Kakashi countered, "no bodies." She smiled at that and tilted her head to the other direction.

"Right, no bodies." She said although there was another chunin laying face first on the ground not too far from them. That got him to smile beneath his mask. A visible one tugged at her mouth.

After the little spar with Itachi, Hanako felt…lighter. Happier. And meeting up with her once-idol and being on a first name basis and joking with him, well, that was the only upside of returning to the village. She looked at him curiously, pointing at her face.

"So why do you wear that mask all the time? I get if you're on a mission but…" She said, sentence drifting. He merely shrugged. She could tell from the calm look in his eye – not eyes, just one – that he was already getting lost in his thought. She took the opportunity and quite literally out of there Hanako was next to him and flicked up his headband and down his mask – but he was quick and moved away before she saw too much. Hanako caught the sight of his sharingan though, and that, at least, was good enough.

"Sorry," she said palms up, "curiosity kills the cat."

"Or starves it." He retorted it but he was smiling now.

"Will you really take the food back?" She asked, blinking.

"Of course not." He was about to lower his headband to cover his perpetually activated sharingan, but seeing that Hanako was staring at him with her own kekkei genkai, he lowered his hand instead.

"So, are you an Uchiha?"

"I don't know." Her voice was small. "I can deactivate it, but it takes a lot of chakra to maintain." She pursued her lips to the side in consideration "Maybe I am an Uchiha, but not a good one."

She stared at the man in front of her – he was nineteen at the time, but he was taller and packed with lean muscle while she was still on the scrawny, kiddy side. She wanted to be strong too, and since he possessed the Sharingan and seemed to be fond enough of her…"I'm planning to stay."

"You'll be a strong kunoichi." Kakashi acknowledged, knowing that she would be a good ally someday.

"I'm staying because I want _you_ to be my mentor." She continued, eyebrows raised in hopeful expectation. At this, he paused and scratched his head lazily.

"I'm not sure if I'm the one most suitable person for that job, Hanako." It was true – although he wanted to see her progress with his chidori, he simply was not teacher material. She frowned.

"Why not?" He had to laugh at the tone of her voice – she sounded like a child. Age appropriate.

"ANBU." He explained, tapping on the mask that hung from his belt. "I'll never be here." She looked at him sharply, but his reasoning made complete sense.

"I understand." She said and he knew that she was discouraged to stay now. But with her potential…in the wrong hands…

"You were friends with an Uchiha, weren't you?" He asked, recalling the first time the tiny blonde headed girl ran up to him. She sat up straighter, her face expressionless until a huge smile lit up her face.

"You're right," she said slowly getting up and hands brushing off her dark tight pants, "Thanks." She saluted him and left. Quickly, she hopped roof top to roof top and perched on one with the largest horizon of view. She felt like a stalker, watching through the window, but eventually she saw the messy haired Uchiha and jumped down softly to the steps outside his window pane. She moved to tap on the window but he had already pulled it up and leaned outside, grinning.

Hanako frowned, disappointment tinged her voice. "You don't seem very surprised to see me."

"Itachi told me." Shisui had that the-world-makes-sense-now sort of smile on his face. Although he wasn't as close to Hanako as Itachi was, he was glad that at least one mysterious death turned out to be false. "I'm glad that you're alive." He was curious about the situation, but didn't press for an explanation.

"Itachi, huh?" She said as she bit her lip, still thinking about it. She supposed the two would be that close – they were both prodigies of the Uchiha Clan, after all. She wondered if he told her about the fight too and started to worry. Would he turn her down as well? "I bet there's one thing he didn't tell you." She said, tilting her head to the side. He leaned over the windowsill, an eyebrow raised. Nothing moved except her eyes, shifting into the Sharingan and he gasped slightly, standing up straighter.

"How is that possible?" He didn't want to consider the worse - that she stole it.

"That's a great question, when you find the answer, please tell me."

He laughed and scratched his head. Her answer was completely he noticed that she was staring up at him with a hopeful expression. "What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath. "I need you to train me," she looked up at him, "_please_."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Wake up, Hanako." Shisui said, gently shaking the girl on the ground. She groaned and rolled to the side. He laughed and touched his slightly curly hair habitually. It had been several days since he agreed to train the girl – the protégé and in those days, Hanako had gained her third tomoe. Although he specialized in genjutsu, Hanako was more intent on nin and tai. He sat down next to her.

"I am…beaten up." She said, slowly opening her eyes. He smiled.

"And now your Sharingan is fully matured," he reminded. She was staring up at the sky, her eyes red and three black tomoes spinning. And then she closed her eyes again. She stretched and sat up next to him. It was not a lot of time to fully master the kekkei genkai but it was obvious that she had put all of herself into training. All her anger, frustration, determination into becoming a great Uchiha, even if she wasn't one really. Though now, as she laid driven past her pushing point on the ground, she only felt sadness.

Sadness that Hiraku had been ridiculed of having a daughter with no Byakugan, only for her to not be his child at all.

"I wonder who I am." She whispered, voicing her thoughts. Shisui was a comfort to her. She understood why Itachi and him got along so well – both beyond talented but not at all arrogant or boastful.

"You're Hanako, of the Leaf Village." He said sympathetically. She sighed. "You should become a genin, Hanako. You _are _talented. We can rearrange something," he said hopeful. She looked up at him and rubbed her eyes. She truly did not mind staying at the Village. She spent the last four years of her life on the road, in the harshest of climates.

She lived on scraps and charity, getting by with her innocence appearance to be fostered in homes. But each shinobi household she arrived in, someone would die and she would leave. But when she hit ten years old and became suspicious - her days of travelling and learning skills of all types of shinobi. This was an easy option for her, but the right one? She wasn't sure.

She thought about Sasuke, and even Itachi. _Maybe I'll stay for a little while longer._

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"And you highly recommend Hanako Hyuga?"

"Well, the Hyuga part –"

"You've mistaken that I refer to her as a Hyuga because of clan ties," the third Hokage said, leaning back against his chair and inhaled through his pipe. "Hanako is Hiraku Hyuga's daughter, so her name, rightfully is Hanako Hyuga."

Shisui bowed his head slightly. "You are right, Hokage, as always." Sarutobi nodded, making a sound of agreement before he leaned forward on his table. He watched the Uchiha carefully. This wasn't the first time he has heard of the thought to be dead girl. One of his ANBU, Kakashi Hatake had already told him about Hanako's situation. And with that, he praised her potential. Not only an ANBU, but Itachi Uchiha and her former sensei Uchiro all said she was well gifted. But with the Chunin exam so recently over…

"I'll allow a special condition," he said thoughtfully. "You as team captain will lead Hanako Hyuga and Itachi Uchiha on a mission to the Village Hidden in the Clouds to gather intel and confirm their intentions of our peace treaty. I don't want to doubt our allies, but…" He shook his head. As Hokage, he had to be smart about whom he was signing treaties with and although with peace as a motivation, the other village can still intend harm. "This is a B-Rank Mission, a full stealth. We don't want them knowing that we have any allegations, and hopefully, we won't find anything."

_This is it – the perfect opportunity_, Shisui thought.

He knelt down and bowed. "Thank you Hokage for giving her this opportunity. We will not disappoint you."

* * *

Update!

This chapter took awhile since I had a writer's block but the rest of the chapters are all ready written! **Review**, hoped you enjoy it! :)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"This should be exciting for you," Shisui said breaking the silence between his teammates. The two children – they _were _children, after all, exceptionally gifted but young nonetheless – were awkwardly walking on either side of him. They were quiet throughout the entire journey so far. Hanako looked up, eyebrows raised. "Why's that?"

"Well we _are _in the Lightning country. Isn't your natural affinity lightning?"

"It sure is." Itachi commented, remembering how she attempted to struck him with it during their brief sparring. She leaned forward over Shisui to slit her eyes at Itachi but then casually walked past him and ahead of the group, almost in a skip. The three made a similar looking trio – they looked like a family, a clan. All dark haired, dark eyed, dark- wearing shinobi of the Leaf Village.

Hanako ignored the other boy's comment. "I visited through here before," she simply said, "they have a fascination with swords here. Be careful with your pretty little ponytail, Itachi, you don't want it getting cut off."

Itachi fought back a smile but by Shisui's raised eyebrow, he must have been unsuccessful. "You think my hair is 'pretty'?"

She wasn't going to get nervous and stammer up now. She shot him a shining grin. "I think it's _beautiful_."

"At least I don't have a hole in my cheek."

"Oh for God's sake -" she stopped when she saw the smirk on his face.

Shisui laughed at their bickering, and Itachi seemed content to rock back into a silence but the amusement stayed. The team captain pulled out a map and marked their location. "We're not far from the Village Hidden in the Clouds, we should go stealth mode from now on." Shisui said as they reached the bordering mountains. They nodded, and started scaling up the rocky mountains.

Shisui, known as the Body Flicker, was quick and naturally Itachi was undetectable. Hanako knew that this mission was also meant for her as the exam and tried not to be dead weight but she had to push herself to keep up with them. On any other team, she would have been the fine – but next to the Uchihas, she was barely hitting average. It bothered her and she had to consciously remind herself that they were on the same team.

_Faster, Hanako, faster_, she prompted herself mentally. After a day's worth of running up the mountain, she felt the fatigue on her muscle. And then she made her mistake – she kicked back a pile of rocks at the edge. Itachi turned to her quickly, catching the noice, but he wasn't the only one.

And immediately, two shinobi appeared. Shisui cursed quietly, while Itachi remained calm, his eyes measuring up their strengths. _Stupid, stupid Hanako _she said, tightening her fist. _Of course _I _would be the one to mess this up. _She couldn't help but look at Itachi, knowing that her eyes looked pleading but she _needed _to hear from him that she didn't mess up too bad...although she wasn't sure why wanted his assurance. Maybe it was because Itachi never failed at anything. If he believed they would be okay...they would be okay.

"Well what do we have here," said the taller of the two. He wore the chunin flak jacket and was staring at the two younger shinobi with arrogance. Hanako, although angry at herself for getting into this situation, felt undeniable relief that Itachi was on her side.

"We mean no harm," Shisui spoke out. The other shinobi laughed.

"Yet you come lurking around _our_ village?" He asked. It was true. If the situations were reversed, Hanako caught trespassers, she would hit them down on spot.

"We'll leave peacefully." Shisui said, and Hanako gave him a sharp look. Itachi seemed to agree with Shisui – or at least, they both had a plan that Hanako wasn't in tune with. Despite Shisui's claim, his Sharingan activated. Itachi, however, seemed to not feel the need for his power. The Kumogakure ninjas laughed.

"You Leaf village ninjas," he spat out, "tell your Hokage to stop sending your kekkei genkai nins here. It really is unfortunate we have to keep killing them."

Hanako froze.

_Could he be talking about…Hiraku?_ Her eyes shifted and turned glowing red, a growl escaping her lips. _No, it can't be…was this where my father was killed? _Shisui kept his eyes on the Cloud ninjas, but Itachi was next to Hanako the next moment. He put a hand on her shoulder gently, but she didn't care. She was glaring at the ninja. Sensing a threat, the other ninja reached behind him for his sword.

"You're on _our _land now." He reminded with a snarl. His partner lowered down, withdrawing his sword as well. "Don't take this personally."

And then Hanako snapped. _That's what that man said years ago_. She didn't think from then on, just reacted. Before Itachi or Shisui could stop her, Hanako burst with her an intense chakra and flicked behind the taller of the two – the one who spoke first. She easily swiped his sword away from him and punched him across his face, her chakra concentrated.

"Hanako!" Shisui yelled out. "Don't –"

But she was not stopping now. Itachi knew her better though, and went to her defense and decapitated the other ninja quickly. It was Hanako that was taking her time, this small girl on top of the adult shinobi, punching him again and again and again, each sound of bone against bone audible to their ears. She kept her punches going at him too fast for him to even think for a brief she stopped, one hand grabbing at his collar and the other one holding down his wrist.

"You," she said through her teeth, "you killed Hiraku Hyuga?!"

Blood dripped from the side of his mouth. _How the hell did this girl get –_

"Answer me!" She shouted. He couldn't though – not when she was staring down at him with the hypnotic crimson Sharingan. His mouth was wide open but when she grabbed his throat and slammed his head against the ground, he snapped out of it.

"Yeah I did it," he screamed back with a revengeful smirk, blood dripping down his forehead, "the Hyuga man, with the Byakugan. I killed him alright, what a weakling. He didn't even –"

Hanako didn't let him continue. She took the sword and –

"Hanako, no!"

And she aimed it through his heart.

"Get her off him!" Shisui instructed, holding down the other shinobi who had no hopes of getting to his comrade on time. Itachi grabbed Hanako's arms from behind her but she had already pierced the sword straight through his chest. Slowly, the two shinobi were touched by the red liquid. The blood that pooled around the dead ninja made it clear that there was no way he could have survived the direct blow. He was dead.

And Hanako had stopped altogether.

_What did I do?_

"Hanako, Hanako…" Itachi was repeating, hands on her face, trying to calm her down. He bent his knees, trying to look up at her and forcing her to say something but she was ignoring him. She was shaking with anger, with fear and devastation. She stared down at her trembling hands, her eyes wide and watery. _I killed a man. _

"I'm s-sorry," she whispered, "I didn't – I never…he, he killed –" And then she let out an anguished scream and she was crying hysterically, falling apart and into Itachi, her hands grabbing the back of his shirt. She stood there and cried with Itachi holding her, stroking her hair. He looked down at the girl who killed her father's murderer, who was overwhelmed with every single feeling that she had ever held back. "It's okay, Hanako," he whispered quietly, wondering how she would hear his voice beneath her loud cries, "Shh, it'll be okay..."

Finally he looked back up at his team captain. Shisui stared at him sadly, but the intent was clear. _The mission has to go on, no matter the interruptions. _

"Hanako, we have to keep on moving," he said gently. She was shaking her head, but she wasn't saying no. Eventually she pulled away and looked at the dead man, his mouth agape and a sword protruding from his chest. "We should hide these bodies somewhere, gather our intel as soon as possible and return to the Leaf village – and we _can't _run into anyone this time." Shisui was saying. She was nodding but her voice contrasted her action.

"I can't do this." She whispered. Her voice was dead, as if she wasn't even there any more. Hanako had never even considered avenging Hiraku's death, but when she heard that _this _was the man who took away his life, rage took over. "I can't do…assignments," she said and laughed pitifully, "I can't 'put my emotions aside' to follow them through."

"You can," Itachi said, "it was just that this one happened to be too close to you. We should have expected a run in like this, it's not your fault –"

"I killed him!" She screamed, "Of course it's my fault!" Itachi stayed quiet and simply looked away, frustrated by her guilt. She looked down, digging her nails into her palm.

"We're going to attract other ninjas if we stay here. We should get moving. I'm sorry Hanako," Shisui said, looking at her. She was strong, but she was still a child. He shouldn't have expected too much of the nine year old girl. "But you _have_ to put your feelings aside. We have to carry this through. For the village."

"It was obvious these two were ready to kill us," Itachi said, "I'm sure that the peace treaty won't go well."

"You're right, Itachi, but we need solid evidence." He turned. "Hanako, are you with us?"

She had an off gaze but she had calmed down now. "Yes, I am."

Shisui sighed, relieved but Itachi was still staring worriedly at her. He tried to catch her eyes, but they were intent on staring at the ground stonily.

"I'll continue this one mission," she continued, "but after this, I'm leaving."

* * *

Thanks so much for the **reviews**! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

_Hanako,_

_ I hope this reaches you in time. Disaster will strike very soon._

_ Believe me when I say I would rather not involve you in this if I have no_

_ other choice, but it seems that you are the only one that I know will do _

_the right thing when the time comes. _

_Please, hurry. _

_Shisui. _

Chapter Nine

_8 years ago…_

It was a bright and sunny day, obvious even when the two Uchiha brothers were being shrouded by trees. The young boy gulped as he crouched behind a tree, watching as his brother vanished and was in mid air, launching and throwing kunai at each other, reflecting off each other accordingly. His body moved…well, beautifully, all working together perfectly like a weapon. The knives landed in the dead target at the exact same time. "Wow, Itachi, you nailed every target – even the one in the blind spot behind the rock." The boy pulled his own kunai up to eye level excitedly, lowering himself. "Alright, now it's my turn!" Sasuke was moving and -

"No, Sasuke," _buzz kill_, "it's time to go." Itachi called out. Sasuke deflated, pouting.

"What happened to the new shurikenjutsu you promised to teach me, huh?"

"It will have to wait; I have an important mission tomorrow. I must prepare."

"Hmph." Sasuke frowned. "You're such a big fat liar." Itachi's face softened and he smiled at his younger brother. Then he gestured him to come closer. Sasuke brightened up and ran right to him – only to be poked in the forehead.

"Sorry, Sasuke. Maybe some other time." Sasuke flushed, a look of defiance on his face.

"Okay," Sasuke complained. Itachi's eyes widened. "Just watch this!" And then he was running. Behind him, someone gasped but Itachi didn't notice, he was already going towards Sasuke. "Hey – be careful!" But Sasuke already made a sound, and he was falling.

As Itachi bent down to carry his younger brother on his back, the stranger hidden behind the trees finally let out a laugh. "Just like before," she said to herself, amused with Sasuke's antics.

Hanako stood up straight and stretched, pulling out the letter that she received from Shisui a few days before. Although it sounded urgent, she wondered how much had changed. Itachi was still kind as always to his younger brother. Granted he was taller, more skilled, and his face more defined – it didn't look like anything she thought would happen…no scars, no eye patches, no signs of a tough battle…

Well, except that ponytail he still had going on.

Hanako shifted around, sensing someone behind her but no one was in sight. It had to be an ANBU - they were the only one skilled enough to leave fast enough without her catching a glimpse. She frowned.

_Am I being spied on?_

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Itachi Uchiha knelt in front of the masked man in his robe. The wooden room was lit solely by candles, and their voices were a hush whisper. "Itachi, have you made up your mind yet? If you haven't then we will be forced to take action instead."

Itachi shot up immediately, his voice urgent. "No, please, wait! I need more time."

The flame gave off flickering shadows onto the mask. The man's voice was neutral, his decision already made. "It will be too late once the players begin to make their move. The situation is extremely dire."

Itachi forced himself to stay composed, but in his head, he was struggling to remain in control. "I realize that," he said, putting his feelings aside. He came to the same conclusion as his commander. In a voice that sounded dead to his ears, he said, "I shall settle this with my own hands." He bowed deeper, signalling his leave but the man took a step forward.

"There's more to this, Itachi." The man said. Itachi stopped. "We have received intelligence that Hanako Hyuga has returned to the village." Itachi's eyes flashed up to him. _She's back? _

"How will that interfere with plans?" Itachi inquired, and this time, he _really _had to force himself to sound composed. Something that was usually second nature to him was now harder than ever.

"In the events if the mission is carried out well, she _will _cause trouble to our village," he said. "And those assigned to her reported that she is, in fact, strong enough to do so."

"I don't understand," Itachi said through his teeth, fists tightened. _No, not her too. Not Hanako._

"She too, must die."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"There you are."

Hanako turned around. A smile lit up her face.

"Hey, Kakashi." She called out, but she stood still in front of the Memorial Stone. He waved and joined her, staring down the rock where they met years ago.

"Another three years has passed, huh?"

"So it has." Hanako said. He looked at her. She grew taller, her hair still dark and hanging past her waist. She lost all the baby fat in her cheeks, but being twelve, she was on the edge of becoming lovely rather than just childishly cute. She turned to the man – still in his dark suit, the standard ANBU jacket, the sandals and plated arm guards. She still had to bend her neck to look up at him. "How have you been?"

"Fine, except...well, did you know I was being tracked?" She asked, voice cool in amusement.

"I do," he said. ANBU was naturally suspicious of this child that continued to enter and leave their village by what seems to be her own will.

"Is something going on in the village?" She frowned, thinking about Shisui's letter. It was nightfall now, but all afternoon she had been searching for Shisui, figuring that since he found her first, she should see her former sensei before greeting Itachi. But hours passed and there was no sight of him, so she returned to the site where she stood now to think.

"There's tension, alright," Kakashi said, "suspicions."

"I'm not accounted as a missing-nin, am I?" She frowned. When she abandoned the mission after completing it years ago, she did merely that – she left. No explanations, no apologies. She just split up with her team mate at the Cloud Village and went her separate way, never turning back. She was consumed with guilt over killing this man, with self hatred for not being able to control herself. She was a coward that could not face consequences.

"You held no Leaf Village secrets and besides," Kakashi said and smiled at the girl, "the Hokage understood why you left."

"I'm sorry." She murmured. Still, she did not forgive herself.

"You have no reason to apologize to me." But since Kakashi was rather fond of this child, he added, "next time you leave, just say bye before you go, alright?"

At that, she laughed. "I'll try," she promised, but secretly hoped that that wouldn't be happening any time soon. Kakashi's eyes curved with his smile.

"So, is that offer still available?" He asked, trying to steer away from the topic. "I want to see if you've gotten good at being a ninja."

She grinned. "Don't you mean better?"

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Carried away with sparring, it was almost sunset when Hanako remembered to visit the Uchiha Clan. Where was Shisui? Kakashi had said there was tension in the village, but she didn't feel anything. Not until she was jumping from rooftop to rooftop when she heard the conversation going down from below.

"I have had enough of this."

Itachi? No, it couldn't be – the man speaking sounded cold, and cruel…yet the voice...

"There's no hope left for this pathetic clan. The people of this clan are all the same. You focus on the trivial and lose sight on what's most important." _This is it – the tension in the village. It has to be. _"Change is impossible in this fog of ignorance. How can we evolve when regulation is the only thing we've ever known?" This man sounded spiteful, his voice full loathsome. Hanako's eyes widen. How was this the same big brother who carried Sasuke home? Who cared for him when his ankle twisted? She lowered herself, eyes watching the scene in front of her. She had to hide her gasp.

Three ninjas were on the floor, slowly getting up. Had Itachi beaten them all down? Fugaku stood in the middle, shock and anger clear on his face. "Such arrogance!

The gray-haired man reached his limit too."That's enough! If I hear one more word of this nonsense, I'll have you thrown behind bars!" He shouted, but Itachi remained still, his eyes intense and Sharingan glowing. "Well, what's it going to be?"

"I can't take this anymore." The brown haired man said. "Please sir, just give me the order!" _No no_, Hanako _was thinking, what was going on?_ She had to stop this, she had to stop Itachi -

"Please, big brother, you have to stop!" Hanako and everyone else turned sharply around to Sasuke, who stood behind the doorway, fear and dismay in his eyes. Itachi stopped. _There's the Itachi I know, _Hanako thought desperately, _the kind, gentle one. But…but the anger…_

Itachi dropped and knelt, bowing to those elder to him in the clan. The four gasped, never expecting this strong shinobi to be on his knees. When Itachi spoke, he sound resigned. "I'm not the one who killed Shisui." A gasp escaped her mouth.

_Shisui...Killed? I'm too late._

"…but I apologize for the words I have spoken. I am truly sorry."

Hanako turned around, falling back into the roof. She stayed there, clutching the tiles. _Shisui was dead?_ But…but the letter, didn't she reach it in time? She struggled for a breath of air. _How can that be?_ She held her head in her hands, grabbing at her hair. Her sensei…was dead…she couldn't believe it. _First Hiraku, and now Shisui? Why is there always death every time I come back to this village? _

After several calming breathes, she looked up. _I have to find Itachi, I need to understand. _She went over to his roof top and slipped in through his window. Itachi didn't look shocked. He calmly turned to her. His eyes were not the same – they were not gentle or kind or patient. This wasn't the boy she cried her eyes out too, the boy who told her it would be okay.

"Why did you come back, Hanako?"

_What. The hell. Happened?_

"Is that how you greet your comrade?" She asked, trying to keep her sense of humour but it was so obviously fake. She felt paper thin, and cracking each second.

"You're coming at a bad time." His voice was quiet, as if he was working to control his tone. Still pulling the casual façade, she sat cross-legged on his bed, but he saw that her knees were unsteady.

"I know." She smiled, but it was a sad one. "Every time I come back here, I find out that someone I cared for died." She could only see Itachi's back, but it was clear he stiffened.

"I didn't do it."

"I know you didn't," she got up and walked to Itachi. She put a hand on his arm, wishing that he would just lose this ice. She was desperate to find out what was happening and what happened to his best friend – and he was the only one that can give to the answers that she needed to hear. "Itachi, please, _talk to me_."

"You _really _shouldn't have come back." He said, but this time his voice melted into something else. Her heart started to race and chills spiked her body immediately, sending her warnings before her mind could even process _why_. Something screamed at her to get away. Itachi turned around, and his eyes changed – to the Sharingan, and then…and then to another tomoe that she didn't recognize but...

_What's happening?_

"I'm sorry, Hanako. _I am so sorry_."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

There was no shouting, no screaming. It was silent but the sound of last breathes being taken before the recognizable thumps of bodies falling filled the compound. Hanako shot up straight and looked around. It was Itachi's room.

_Itachi._

She got up immediately, but was struck with dizziness. She had to hunch over, grabbing a hold of a desk corner, forcing herself to breath, to not puke. Her head was spinning, her insides felt raw. "What the hell happened?" She whispered to herself. It took all her strength for her eyes to focus, to ignore the pounding in her head and to _move_.

She stumbled out into the roads. It was completely empty, but the moon didn't hang high in the sky. Nobody could be asleep so early, but it was completely silent. "H-Hello?" She shouted into the void, her voice ringing in her ears. She still felt like she was on the verge of vomiting out her insides, and then suddenly she remembered – Itachi hitting her _hard _with some…Sharingan move, and then everything blacking out.

She heard steps at the corner and turned around slowly. It was Itachi, in his dark suit but with the ANBU guards on top. "What did you do to me, you bastard!" She yelled out, trying to race at him but she fell over her own foot. _Stupid, stupid Hanako, get up!_

"You shouldn't be able to move," he said, his tone cold. Her instincts were _shrieking _at her to run. But…this was Itachi - his voice, his face was all the same. His eyes though…"I hoped you would have been unconscious for at least two days. That way, you would have had a chance."

"What did you do, Itachi?" She demanded, her fingers digging through the dirt. She pushed herself up but all her muscles felt like they were melting, her bones felt brittle. She looked up at Itachi, who was staring at her. And then she smelled it – she snapped up and looked around frantically. She shook, trying to stand up on her two feet. "Blood?" She whispered.

Itachi turned away, his eyes narrowed at the ground. Dark eyelashes framed the crimson blood coloured Sharingan and the look of shame were prominent in those eyes. Her eyes skipped through each window – curtains torn, blood stained, cracked windows…

"Did – did you…" Her voice cracked. _No, this can't be…_

"Yes." His voice was solemn.

"You wouldn't, you couldn't – you, you - "

"I did."

Itachi…couldn't…he couldn't have killed everyone. She was jumping to conclusions -

_How can he do this? _"And Sasuke?"

"No," he said, and for a second his voice slipped, his covers fell, "not yet."

"_Yet_?" But how? He wouldn't, not Sasuke, he loved his brother…more than anything…

Itachi sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm really sorry –" He stopped, watching as below him, the grounds around the girl lit up. Hanako was fighting the fog of poison; her eyes were practically _glowing _with a drive. Her chakra gathered in her hand, fused with her natural affinity. _That's Kakashi's chidori, _he painfully realized, _she's going to fight me…_

Her hair had gravity of its own, and she bent down to a fighting position. She had enough of talking; she _had _to stop Itachi, before he hurt anyone else. He really didn't want to fight her, but he realized that there was no way around it. She gave a battle cry and raced towards him. If it had been anyone else, they wouldn't be able to dodge Hanako and her chidori but this was Itachi, and he wasn't just anyone.

She managed to skid his arm guard, but not damage him in anyway. The lightning still buzzed and sparked at her arm, her hand holding to steady it. Staring at her like this – knees bent and leaning forward ready to kill, chakra so strong it was visible, face sweating with illness and fatigue but _still _with dark eyes that managed to shine…that was when Itachi Uchiha realized that he loved his comrade.

He closed his eyes.

He heard her coming, heard the sound of the ignition, but quickly as he has before, he launched forward and punched her abdomen _hard_. She choked, struggling for a breath, back arched as her body absorbed the impact. "I'm sorry, Hanako." He whispered. Her mouth was open, about to say something, but it was too much. Then, she collapsed.

Even unconscious, he felt the comfort of holding Hanako in his arms. _It's always been her, only her. _Even _if _he only saw her for days, before she disappeared for a matter of years, Hanako was a constant in his mind. It wasn't just a soft spot, and if there was no coup d'etat, that their relationship could've became something, could've went somewhere…

But that was impossible now.

She would hate him, forever. _Everyone _would.

Itachi forgot what it felt like to hold something dear to him and he wanted to stay like that. When he felt her body limp and give up, he had to squeeze his eyes shut. He dropped his head to her shoulder, holding her tight as a last embrace. "I'm sorry." He whispered again, and gently laid her down on the ground and left the girl he now knew he loved for the family he would have to kill.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_Itachi._

_Itachi…_

She forced her eyes open although it felt like she was breaking skin to tear it apart. Dirt and sand stuck to her mouth and face, her chest was heavy. Her whole body ache to the point of it hurting if she stayed still like this on the floor, or if she made the slightest move. Pain, _everywhere_.

"Sa…Sasuke," she groaned. Was he still alive?

Although her entire body was fighting against her, begging her to let go and give up, she pushed herself to roll over onto her back. She tried the Mystical Palm but she didn't have enough chakra to spare to heal herself. Her hand dropped back to the ground in exhaustion.

_Just push yourself, Hanako, come on. _She opened her eyes. Her chakra must have been blocked when Itachi hit her vitals, but she pushed herself to get on her knees, and then on her feet. She took one step and fell, grit and sand managing their way to her mouth. _I can't._

Still, she forced herself to just _do it. _Her hand clawed at the dirt, pulling herself forward. There was no one here – it was still dark outside. Itachi had slaughtered his whole village and nobody even had the opportunity to cry loud enough to attract attention. _That damn…damn…_she couldn't think of something worse enough to call him.

She pushed herself to her very limit with each pull, and going even _further _with the next. But halfway through, her arm gave out and she didn't even have the chance to fear death.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Hanako," the man behind the mask sighed, "you foolish girl." He bent down and lifted the girl into his arms quickly and left the area. She couldn't be seen here. He stared at the limp girl in his arms, her black hair falling behind her. He hugged her tight for the second time and –

"Is the girl dead?"

He looked up slowly. "Yeah," his voice was rough, "she's dead."

"I wonder how she got so far away from the rest of the village," he murmured.

"She's a fighter," he replied softly, "but not strong enough, I suppose."

The other ANBU shook his head slightly. "This was a massacre. Everybody, dead, except for the brother. I don't know how Itachi Uchiha did it."

"Nor do I." He agreed his tone indifferent. He nodded quickly and vanished to the forest. There, he set the girl – for the second time – on the ground gently. He removed his mask. "Nobody could know you're alive," he whispered, touching the side of his face. He brushed back her dark hair from her face.

Gently, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Forgive me, Hanako."

* * *

Updated at last, please tell me your thoughts! This chapter is the longest I've published for this story so far! I hate long chapters, so...if you're not feeling it, **drop a review.**

Hope you enjoyed this!


	10. Part Three: Chapter 10

Part Three

Chapter Ten

_4 years ago…_

"Hey, so the Chunin exams –"

"Déjà vu." She muttered to herself, but a small smile played at her mouth.

"What was that?" Teuchi, the Ramen shop owner asked, eyebrows raised. He was usually friendly, but this was an out of time stranger who didn't order anything so he was suspiciously curious - especially at a time like this, when the village was recovering from an attack. Of course, that all disappeared when the girl pulled down the hood and gave him a smile.

"Oh nothing, just lost in thought." She beamed. The older man flushed.

"Well, alright." He stammered and turned back around to his other customer. "We're closing up soon, by the way, stranger." The other shinobi in the shop was so obviously staring at her but she looked away. The smile slipped on her face as soon as it occurred. Eyelids lowered and chin on her palm, she looked around the village.

"Are you from around here?"

She didn't reply. She wasn't really a Leaf villager – true, Hanako was born and grew up shortly here, but most of her life she was out of the village. Years had passed since the Uchiha Clan massacre and at last, she trusted herself to come back here to see how things were…to check up on Sasuke. She knew she had to remain hidden though, it was better not to unravel the memories buried long ago. She just hoped that he grew up and found someone to help him through the trauma.

Hanako wished upon the Uchiha all the things that she had not learned through the years – companionship, and team work. She did not have the Leaf village's motto of never abandoning her teammate, for she had no one and learned to live to take care of herself and solely that. She was not the hero type that she aspired to as a child. She was a rogue, but a skilled one.

The shinobi stared at Hanako from the corner of his eyes. She grew up to be a pretty girl, sixteen years old, with dark eyes and kept her hair black. But she did not dress like a ninja – far from it. And that was why the Chunin stared at the girl who looked like she came from the main city of the Fire Country.

"Where you from, stranger?" He asked calmly. After the village had almost fallen from the attack of Orochimaru and the Sand village, everything was a complete mess. The biggest fear of the village was other nations taking advantage of the ruins and making a move. From her attire, he wouldn't necessarily be worried if she was a threat but still she wore the metal plated gloves, and bandaged strapped and fastened by a pouch that signalled a kunoichi.

"I'm from here," she said in a simple, reassuring tone.

"You sure don't look like it."

She turned around and smiled pleasantly at him. "And why's that?"

"Well because –" Before he could continue, Hanako had flung him down silently onto the bar, and she was on top of him, leaning over. "Don't be deceived by appearances so easily," she whispered, and then tapped her finger against his chest and shocked him with lightening-transformed chakra. He gasped but before he could recompose himself, she turned around – only to be surrounded.

"An intruder on the day of this funeral. That's low, even for your village." The shinobi growled.

"Funeral?" She repeated. It was clear that whatever harm she was intent on causing vanished. The three chunin looked at each other, deciding that she was not a threat – or an immediate one at that.

"The funeral of our Hokage," he said cautiously, "Hiruzen Sarutobi."

Hanako exhaled deeply and looked up at the sky. _Death greets me at every return. _"Déjà vu." She repeated again, and then she vanished.

The village _was_ silent – no children playing, or much business, and she wondered why she didn't realize as she set foot there. With the destruction of it, she thought that merely they mourned over their material lost…but obviously not. _They must be all gathered at the Monument, _she thought, _where I am not welcomed._She knew she would be treated exactly like an outcast, or worse, a threat.

Instead, Hanako went to the Third Training Ground and was only half surprise to see the tall, silver-haired ninja in black standing there. He turned just slightly.

"You didn't say goodbye."

She looked down. "My life is going in circles," she said quietly, "I leave, I come back to death." She stopped and walked next to him. "I'm sorry for the loss of your Hokage."

"Not just him," Kakashi said, "look at how many names were added."

"Be thankful that you are still alive," she said. He didn't answer but moved away from her, but before he left, he looked at the girl who had grown up before his eyes. _Each time she returns, she grows up two decades more._ "Will you stay?"

She smiled but it was not a happy one. "No, I probably won't." He had nothing left to say. He touched her shoulder and left. Hanako stood there, staring at the stone that acknowledged the death of hundreds of ninjas. She felt anger – anger that Shisui's name would never be placed there honourably alongside everyone else's. She gripped the edge of the stone and felt a crack beneath her fingers. Then her head shot up when she heard another sound behind her.

"Who are you?" She asked. The man stood straighter.

"I think you're more interesting than little ol' me," said the tall, large man with spiky white hair. She stared at him, trying to assess whether or not he was a threat to her, as she did with anyone who crossed her path. "Hanako Hyuga. Now, why is it that you were declared missing once and dead twice?" She frowned.

"You're one of the Sannin," she stated, but she did not sound impressed.

"Jiraiya." He nodded. He was usually one for grand introductions, but not today – not when the rain was pouring heavily, not when his sensei died, not when the village was in sorrow. And definitely not when the girl in front of him played such a huge role on a certain Akatsuki member he had been snooping around for. He approached her slowly, looking at her outfit. Not a villagers, not quite traveller, not quite kunoichi. In fact, he wondered how she could possibly fight in that attire. _I shouldn't underestimate her though, _he reminded himself.

"So," he said, breaking the silence once it became clear that she wasn't going to acknowledge who he was, "are you a friend or foe of this village, Hanako?"

"You're putting me on the spot there, buddy." She said, shoving her hands in her pockets, eyes narrowing. Jiraiya frowned.

"I was hoping the answer would come easy."

"No answer ever is." She said, sounding lost in thought.

"Hmph." He grinned and shrugged. "Well it's as good as any."

Few hours later, the rain cleared and the village seemingly brightened up but the presence of the girl did not go unnoticed. People watched as the girl walked around, especially a certain group of rookies. "That girl...I've never seen her before," Sakura said, her emerald eyes careful. "She doesn't look like a kunoichi though," she continued.

"There's something about her," Ino tapped at her lip. And finally, she realized it – after years of observing Sasuke, she noticed the similarity. "That's it!" She said snapping her fingers, "that girl…looks like an Uchiha!" Instantly, Hanako's eyes slid to the two young girls – maybe even the same age she was during the massacre – and in then a blink's eye, Hanako was standing in front of them. Their eyes widened, on their heels and about to fall when –

"Be careful there, girls." They turned around and saw a familiar spiky haired, tan man, with a cigarette between his lips.

"Asuma-sensei," Ino blinked. She turned back around but the girl had vanished. _What just happened?_ "Sensei, did you see her?" Sakura still seemed dazed. Kurenai looked at Asuma, hiding her suspicions from the younger kunoichi but her thoughts were clear in her red eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Ino, just a traveller." Asuma said with a grin. But his dark eyes scanned the road, and the fact he couldn't find any traces except of his own memory of the girl, he knew that something was wrong.

Meanwhile Hanako had moved back away from the village, deciding that it was too bothersome to stay. There was no point of her being here any more. Lost in thought, she wandered around until she ended up outside the Uchiha clan's compound area. It was locked and forbidden to the village, and she was sure nobody – not even Sasuke visited the ruins any more. Still, she was curious. She jumped over the gate and walked around…still a mess. Nobody bothered to clean up after the massacre, figuring that if they barred the entrance with wood, it would hide the memories.

Still as she walked to Itachi and Sasuke's old home, she felt a horrible sense of fear in the pit of her stomach. The sound of bodies dropping, of final cries…they haunted her. That one night scarred her memory and for the last few years, that scene replayed in her head every night. But yet something never did seem quite right to her. His motive for doing so, just the nature of what he did and all the events leading up to that very moment didn't make any sense.

Truth be told, his actions didn't fit him. Ruthless murders and the gentle Itachi she had known simply made no sense.

When she walked into Itachi's former room, now layered with dust, she sat in the corner, trying to examine the entire room. With a deep breath, she made a decision. Hanako was going to find out what _truly _happened that night four years ago.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"What in God's name -"

Hanako woke up, looking around her. At first she was overwhelmed with confusion and finally she remembered that she had walked into Itachi's room several hours ago. She scratched her head, sighing she got up. Feeling restless yet unmotivated, she continued wandering - as she had for the majority of her life. She visited the Memorial sight, and did not see Kakashi. She walked through the main roads and not Jiraiya or a single interesting ninja in sight. She frowned.

Eventually she ended up outside a building where Kakashi lived. It felt strange walking down the hallways but nobody stopped her. Hands on the knob, she slowly opened it and there he was - in bed.

"Kakashi!" She called out and two other jonin turned around. They looked sharply at her, one taken back. Immediately, the man held up trench knives and stood in front of his fallen comrade. Hanako didn't even bother, she gave him a disdainful look and walked right by him. She put a hand on her former idol's face. "What happened to you?" She murmured to no one in particular. Behind her, she heard the two talking it over - and coming to the conclusion she had to be an ally.

Kakashi was clearly knocked out, and struggling. His eyebrows were pulling together, and his breathing sounded almost laboured. She wanted to pull down his mask and allow him to breathe, but thought better of it. At last she turned around.

"What happened?" She asked them, her chin raised and eyes straight at them. She didn't want to be treated like a child and receive an inadequate answer. The woman turned to look at her comrade, confirming whether or not to tell her. Then she turned around and said, "who are you, first of all?"

There was no way around it. They weren't the enemy after all, Hanako had to remind herself, and right now, Kakashi's situation seemed more important than her little charade. "My name is Hanako."

"Hanako, huh?" The man said, and lowered his hands. "Never heard of you."

"As I expected," she said dryly with a slight smile, "I'm supposed to be dead."

"Wait a moment," the woman cut in, "I remember that name somewhere...Hanako...Hyuga?"

"That's me," she said quickly and uninterestedly, "can you tell me what happened now?"

"We ran into someone," Asuma said gruffly, "The medic just left and Guy is looking for -" He stopped and watched as the young girl gravitated towards the injured shinobi. She wielded her chakra over her hands and slowly ran them just over Kakashi. Kurenai was impressed - she figured the girl was no older than 16, and to master the Mystical Palm was quite the achievement. It wasn't rare ability but with the way Kakashi noticeably relaxed at her chakra was proof of her mastery, especially since the other medic-nin did nothing but declare him to be unconscious.

"Who did you you ran into?" Hanako asked, but her voice seemed strained. She knew Kakashi's condition well. After years of studying the Sharingan in hopes of meeting Itachi again one day, this was definitely the effect of his Mangyeko sharingan.

"Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki." Asuma said, his expression solemn. "Do the names ring a bell to you?" He crossed his arms. "I don't believe in coincidence, that you and the other S-ranked nin both arrived here at the same time."

Itachi.

She knew that he was still alive - nobody could kill him, after all. But he was completely untraceable to her. She has heard plenty of stories of his activities, but never once had she run into him despite her tracking. It was as if he was avoiding her.

"Asuma, Kurenai! Guess who I - WHAT? WHO'S THIS?" A man with bushy eyebrows and a painfully green jumpsuit came in, pointing his shaking finger at the girl. She frowned and after a moment, turned away. "Kakashi needs rest and you're...you're taking in visitors?!" The man continued to rant as she continued with the Mystical Palm.

And then the door opened again. "Hey! Is it true?"

She was trembling with annoyance now.

"Is it true that Itachi's back in town?"

She could swear a visible vein was pulsing at her forehead but she forced herself to keep her eyes closed and focus on the body in front of her.

She heard a gasp, but still kept her back towards the four ninjas. It was when the other ninja had the audacity to say, "And he beat Kakashi -" that she finally snapped and turned around.

"Can you please _shut up_?" She shouted but then it was her that was suddenly silenced because right in front of her was Sasuke, his eyes growing huge as he took in the three things in front of him -

The girl who was suppose to be dead, alive.

His sensei, down.

And his brother - back.

And then Sasuke was running away before she could even think about explaining one of them. She could only stare as he took off running. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Damn," she muttered and turned back to Kakashi but it was clear she couldn't help much there. But what was she supposed to do - interfere and go chase after Sasuke? It would lead to conversations she would rather avoid. But what if they could help him - humanize him? "I'll go get him." She declared and stood up. They only nodded.

Sasuke was fast, but she was faster and caught up to him easily. She had an idea of where he would go already. To find Itachi. That would have been her first idea, anyway. So she went to bordering villages and ran through them, jumping from rooftop to rooftop for the aerial view.

After what seemed like forever, an explosion captured her interest. She stopped and looked up, eyes searching. A wall had been blown through and - there. She saw it. It was Itachi. He was making a quick getaway and before she could even think of why he would need to run away from anything, he turned and caught her eye.

The shock and something_ else_ in those sharingan eyes were so obvious that it froze her. He looked like he was about to shift and go towards her but instead he tore his eyes away and then, he was gone.

Moments after he left, she was finally able to move, to think. She recognized that look in his eyes. It was longing.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

_No_, she thought, _I can't let him get away. Not again._ She shook out of her petrified state and left Sasuke - who she hoped was still alive - to chase after the two cloaked ninjas. Finally, after all these years, she finally saw Itachi again and_ of course_ he would be running away from her. "Get back here, you goddamn coward!" She shouted. She heard laughter and then his partner stopped while Itachi continued ahead. It was obvious - this man wasn't planning to let her through.

"So many young ninjas willing to throw away their lives today," the man chuckled.

"You look like a shark," Hanako commented distractedly which earned her another snicker. Although he seemed easy going, the huge sword behind his back and the fact that Itachi would associate with him clearly indicated he was both dangerous and skilled. She quickly formulated a plan in her head.

"I don't know why I stayed back to handle you, but hey, if it gives me a chance to fight, why not? And for once, Itachi didn't stop me." He pulled out his Samehada which Hanako recognized immediately. You could say that after all of her run in with kenjutsu, she starting doing her research on swords.

"You can't slice through me with that sword if you can't catch me," Hanako commented, then in the next instant, her eyes changed into the Sharingan that was all-too familiar and her face broke into an excited grin, adrenaline rushing. It wasn't every day where the opportunity of a fight with the Akatsuki presented itself.

"Let's see about -"

"It's over."

And that was it.

Before Kisame could even get a word out, Hanako flicked herself directly behind him, charged her lightning chakra to her hands and directly over his heart, her arms around him and fingers digging into his chest. Her other hand was on his arm, chakra paralysing the muscle. He didn't seem surprised and that shook her confidence.

But then...he laughed.

For a quick moment she thought he used some sort of clone jutsu and she was about to turn around but still, Kisame was in front of her. His hands lost grip on the sword and it came crashing down loudly as the scales of the sword started retracting.

"You're pretty fast." He complimented.

"I'm more than just _pretty fast,_" she said. She didn't know why she was talking easily with this man when she should be killing him and going onwards to Itachi but something made her stay. Maybe it was the fact that this was the person her ex-comrade was spending all his years with. Heck, this was her ex-comrade's new comrade. Maybe this was some sort of shinobi-version of jealousy, she didn't know, but still she stayed.

"You're Hanako Hyuga," Kisame said but his voice was getting shaky now since her fingers were still buried in his chest. She felt his blood drop down her nails and between her knuckles. "Go ahead, go to him. I couldn't care less."

Her nails and lightening chakra sent a shock to his heart, while the other hand quickly targeted his limps to prevent mobility for awhile. And then she ran off. After Itachi... She thought she had her troubles in front of her now - finding Itachi who was probably miles away - but instead, she was moving for less than a minute when she suddenly stopped and stood her ground on the edge of the forests next to a river. Itachi was standing there, waiting for her.

_That's not good_, she thought, Itachi's had always been good with water elements. She wondered quickly about how pure it was, hoping that maybe it would conduct electricity...

"Itachi Uchiha," she said dryly, "well it's been a long time. Maybe you didn't get my message while you were out murdering clans overnight, but here's the gist of it," she stopped, "I am going to kill you."

If it wasn't for the absolute seriousness in her little smile and threat, Itachi may have thought she was the same girl years ago. But her eyes shone with well assurance of following through with her message. It was exactly why Danzo wanted her dead...because she was a definite threat. Too late for that now, he thought, but he did not regret it. Not one bit.

"Hanako," he closed his eyes, making plans in his head, "it's good to see you again."

"I wouldn't think that with you running away and everything." He heard the sounds of lightening sparking.

"I wasn't running away," Itachi stated and he opened his eyes and she reacted with a glare. His eyes were still black - no Sharigan. She took that as an insult, as if she wasn't even a strong enough opponent to use his kekkei genkai. She wanted to do the same, to be on equal terms with him, but she knew that she stood no chance of following his movements without it.

He stared calmly at her, looking at her face, at her eyes. She looked exactly the same - yet completely different. The long dark hair and eyes to match, and strangely enough that scar-like dimple that ran down one cheek was more familiar than anything. "I'm not going to fight you, Hanako."

"Who said you're going to have a choice?" She stopped talking and then started racing towards him, her chidori stronger than it was five years ago. Itachi, having already easily deflected another chidori only moments ago, was not concerned. Hanako ran up to him, and she -

_Damn_.

It was a genjutsu.

His body blurred off and disappeared. Slowly, she turned around and several feet away from her was Itachi, his face half hidden with the collar of his coat, his eyes still calm as if he was merely observing a show. A growl escaped her lip and she hated herself for falling for his stupid tricks. And what's worse was that his sharingan was still out of sight. Standing up straighter, she walked to him slowly, one hand in genjutsu release while the other summoning up lightening.

"Hanako, really," he sighed, "what do you think you're getting out of this? What do you want to leave here with? The pride of killing me?" This made her pause, but she hid her feelings. She released her chakra and stood in front of him.

"I want to know the truth," she said through her teeth. He didn't respond for that was the one thing he could not give to her.

"You need to move on, Hanako." She ignored the aching feeling she got in her chest at the sound of his voice saying her name. It wasn't just the familiarity of having heard her name in so long, but it was the _way_ he said it.

"You killed everybody," she said her eyes wide with disbelief, "and you're telling _me_ to move on? To hell with that! I need to know why you did what you did, and why you kept me alive when you were willing to murder Shisui."

This caught him off guard. He didn't expect her to care for Shisui to even mention him, after all, nobody has all these years. Out of everybody, he did not expect Shisui to mean so much to her...But he couldn't give her an answer, so he insisted his point. "You're alive because I saw no need for your death -"

"But you saw the point in murdering your mother?" She shouted, her hand reaching out to him.

His eyes flashed at her in anger that broke through his unreadable mask. Her guard shot up immediately and she moved away. Mentioning his parents like that...it hit too close to home - his parents death was...unbearable but it had to be done and she would never understand why. Her innocence of the situation, however, didn't smother his annoyance.

"It was an Uchiha clan massacre, and you are not an Uchiha." He said coldly. His voice was sharp. "Your Sharingan is merely that: a Sharingan - not a representation of _my_ clan. My affairs are my own. Get on with your life and do not even _allow _yourself to further indulge in heroic ideas like trying to avenge a clan that was not even yours to begin with."

This struck her silent.

She stared at him, lost in the moment and then looked down like a scolded child.

"Itachi." It was Kisame. "We should get going." Itachi turned just barely to his partner and nodded, knowing that he killed the spirit in Hanako. It troubled him and he knew that he would probably beat himself up mentally later...that he would replay the way the light in her eyes (that he so clearly remembered) had dulled and turned away from him.

He couldn't leave her staring at the ground like that - even if it was him that crushed her. His actions were contradictory but he didn't care, he needed to give her a reason to have that passion again. Itachi's eyes softened immeasurably, as if he had no burden at all and he was once 13 again. She wasn't looking at him, but Kisame caught it immediately and could not hide the utter shock he felt. _I guess Itachi's got a heart after all_, the rogue thought.

"The truth," he said slowly and she immediately noticed how familiar his voice was, "is dead and buried in the Leaf village." _With the Hokage. _He stared at her intently, hoping she would look knew the possibility of her understanding his hint was slim, but if she were to find out...it may change all of his plans. Yet still, he wished that maybe, she would understand. And when she did, maybe she would hate him just a little bit less.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Sakura?"

The pink haired girl turned around, green eyes brimmed with tiredness. She blinked. "Hanako! You're back!" She turned to Sasuke to check on him quickly and habitually before she looked back at the dark haired kunoichi and immediately realized that something changed in her. She looked bare, her emotions visible on her face. Hanako slowly walked towards her and sighed.

It had been several days if not weeks since she was last here. After seeing Itachi again, it was as though every single thing that she thought was stable was thrown into havoc. Now she had no idea what to do with the rest of her life. _Such a teenage problem_, she thought. Yet she was back and the only thing she could do was offer help.

"I saw Lady Tsunade coming towards the Village. She should be here soon and get Sasuke back up and running. I'll be with Kakashi." Hanako said and with that, she left to the other room. She took off her coat and threw it to the side. She stared at the shinobi in front of her, and slowly, got lost in her thought.

When she heard the door open and a rather excited boy talking, the only acknowledgement she gave was her eyes that slid to the blonde ninja in bright orange jumpsuit and the Sannin. Hanako, still feeling rather depressed and tired, did not move.

"Now Kakashi sens - HUH? WHO ARE YOU!" The boy pointed a finger at Hanako, his face slightly eccentric. _This girl's pretty! And way too young for a guy like Kakashi! That creep, I wonder what -_

Hanako got up restlessly and moved out of the way. Tsunade looked at her, her golden eyes suspicious. "I know you," she said slowly, "you're Hanako Hyuga."

"H-Hyuga?" Naruto repeated and stared at the dark haired girl. Her eyes were black - not at all like the clear lavender that Hinata and Neji had. "Wait a sec! Why are you here? Do you know Kakashi? Huh?" He tried desperately to get the two kunoichi's attention but Tsunade was frowning down at the younger girl, while Hanako just look like she couldn't care less.

"Well, your past is not my business," Tsunade concluded.

"I appreciate that," without a doubt, there was a genuine touch in her voice that surprised the future Hokage, "thank you."

Hanako found herself slipping to the corners of the room, as if embarrassed to be in the Hokage's presence. She was in the state of self hatred, and she knew that she was not a ninja of the Leaf village or honourable or any of that. Especially with all the mistakes, all the things that she had abandoned and ran from. With each passing moment, Hanako learned to hate herself in more ways and wasn't snapped out of it until Kakashi made a move and got up.

He sat on his bed, his eyes dead and tired and completely unfocused. Tsunade moved back and at her hands at her hips, she let out a loud sigh. "Disgraceful." She said. "To be taken completely out of the game by two low life punks like that. I thought _you_ were suppose to be the best."

Kakashi still seemed out of it. "Sorry to...disappoint you."

The sound of Kakashi's voice made something stir inside of her. She looked up and Kakashi met her eyes. For a moment, their eyes locked and she knew that they would be having quite a long conversation after this. The other ninjas were talking but they, too, left.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked, his voice still empty with fatigue. Hanako took a glass and gave it to him but he ignored it.

"Let's see," Hanako said, and it was horrible because both of them seemed completely lifeless, whereas Kakashi had an excuse but Hanako was just simply pathetic. "You were knocked out for a while, Sasuke ran after Itachi, I'm guessing that Itachi knocked him out as well, that little blonde kid got Tsunade here somehow and then she cured everybody and happy ending."

"I see," he said and then he looked at her. "And what have you doing this time?"

"Moping about how much I despise my existence," Hanako smiled. He sighed and looked at her considerately, both his eyes open and gazing. "I have no motivation right now, but I'm sorry. I really should have came back to the village to help as much as possible...it's just that..." she realized she had no excuses.

"You're a good kid, Hanako," Kakashi said and then swung his legs out of the bed. He tried to stand but he stumbled and Hanako had to catch his fall. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it, comrade."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

It was nightfall by the time they finished talking. Hanako left for fresh air as Kakashi prepared himself for the missions he would be sent out on tomorrow during daybreak. Hanako wandered around the village, trying to not get lost in her thought as she so often do. She heard a step. "Hanako Hyuga?"

She turned around as three jonin stood in front of her. Hanako frowned. "Yes?"

"You've been requested a meeting with Danzo Shimura."

[ End ]

* * *

This one was long, I'm sorry for that! Hope you enjoy, nonetheless.

I appreciate all the reviews the last few update has been getting, so so so so much! And I hope you continue to like this story :)


	12. Chapter 12

_Three years ago…_

_It was a random moment as the former and the new ANBU shinobi trained together. They were talking about the secrets of S-Rank missions when the dark haired girl suddenly froze and the man came _this_close to slicing off her neck. "Hanako? What's wrong?"_

_Her eyes were wide with terror and quietly, she said, "I've made a terrible mistake." And then, she was running. She ran all the way to the Headquarters and into to her bedroom. She scrambled through papers and scrolls – all her past missions – trying to grasp an idea, trying to hold onto the revelation in her head and finally, it made sense._

Is this what you've been hiding all along, Itachi?

Chapter Twelve

_Three years ago…_

He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets, his gaze lost in the sky. "I feel so old," said the tall silver haired ninja. There was a kunoichi sitting at his feet in front of the Memorial Stone, her black hair surrounding her as she leaned forward and hugged her arms with her knees. She wore the full ANBU uniform – the vest, sleeveless black suit underneath, the arm guards and a tattoo on her shoulder – except her outfit was entirely made up of black and not an ounce of grey was on her except her mask that took its face from a cat but with gold swept over.

"Empty nest syndrome?" She asked, smiling a bit. Kakashi looked down and chuckled.

"Naruto's off with Jiraiya, Sakura's with Tsunade, Sasuke's well…you know, and now you're off too."

"We worked well together," Hanako commented, thinking about it. She had spent months alongside the renowned ninja on missions. But with the realisation of the truth, she had to leave Konoha and go back out. Hanako was always a traveller, and now, she had to play chase again.

"We sure did," Kakashi agreed, but he stared at her – at the girl who grew up before his eyes. She had an odd look on her face, and finally, he realized that she was struggling with something that she was keeping strictly to herself. With the year they spent working alongside each other – as training partners, team members or just plain old company – they grew a lot closer more than he would have ever expected. But despite this distant seeming dark haired girl, he still saw her as the bright and enthusiastic blonde child of his memories.

"I know I said this before…but I've made so many mistakes. And I continue too." Hanako whispered, her fingers digging into her arms. She thought about Sasuke who just _left _without a word. Obviously, she had meant nothing to either of the Uchiha brothers and that bothered her eternally…especially with today being her birthday. That was perhaps the one thing she told no one – not even Kakashi, or Itachi or Shisui or _anyone_.

As soon as she said that, Kakashi knew where this was heading. They were close friends now, dreams and mistakes were all shared between them. Quietly, Hanako said, "This is the only way I can think of making it right again."

Kakashi sighed again. He was only twenty seven but with all the events his students put him through, he felt forty. He crouched down and put a hand on the young ANBU's shoulder. "Just don't die on me, Hanako." He said, his words serious but his tone light as he smiled. She let out a laugh and fell backwards so that she was lying on the wet grass, her hair fanning out. She straightened her arms out to the sky and held the ANBU mask in her hands so that the cat was looking down at her.

"I feel like I've already lived a long life," she admitted.

"Add another decade to that, and maybe you'll understand how I feel." Kakashi countered. She turned her head, eyes rolling back to look at him. "Touché, comrade."

He pulled out a letter from his pocket and handed it to her. "Jiraiya sent me this," he explained as Hanako sat up immediately and opened it carefully. He tapped a certain paragraph of the letter and her eyes zoned on it, then her eyebrows shot up in surprise in amazement, wondering how the two older ninjas even made plans for her before she even fully established her resolution to follow through with it.

"Have fun in the Hidden Mist village."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Hanako was packing up her things – weapons, mostly– when her eyes flashed up and she sensed someone watching her. Not wanting to reveal the fact that she caught on, she merely lowered her eyelids just a bit as she moved to take the kunai, seemingly about to put it in her luggage when suddenly she aimed it directly at where she heard the slightest ruffle.

True to her guess, not one or two, but _twelve _ANBU were in her room. She frowned but she wasn't scared. "Hey guys," she said casually yet suspiciously, an eyebrow raised, "what's going on?"

They didn't speak to her and she knew immediately something was wrong – for her. The next thing she knew, the room was filled with some sort of toxic gas that both blinded her and made it almost impossible to breathe. She choked and struggled for air, and to make it worse, they were _attacking _her. A flurry of shuriken and kunai flew at her, and dodging one was already hard enough. Blades cut through her shoulders and legs, bringing her down. Weakened and blinded, she made a desperate move.

She used her Sharingan.

For all her time at the village, she has never used it – not once in front of anyone that would be alive to tell others. For some reason, she had always kept it a secret…always. Only some members of the Uchiha clan, the rightful owner of the kekkei genkai, and Kakashi knew about her Sharingan. However _this _was a problem right now and she needed its help more than ever. But it was the wrong move, because before she could even focus on her chakra, the poisonous gas filled her lungs and she felt herself collapse deeper onto the floor until she was sprawled over.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, she heard few last whispers as her team – no, _traitors_ – dragged her body off.

"Danzo was right…she stole the Sharingan after all."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

_ How long has it been now? Day forty, sixty?_ She lost count after all the days of being imprisoned, beaten, tortured, starved, and on the fringe of giving up but neither being allowed to by her pride nor by those who kept her here. They rather she just suffer. Each memory of daylight, of happiness – and there weren't many to begin with – was slowly slipping away from her.

She remembered when she first arrived in the damp, cavern deep underneath the Earth. She was fighting all right – but that didn't seem to matter because lightening and chakra can only go through so much layers of dirt. As soon as she reached her exhaustion point, he had appeared and to her complete terror, revealed the Sharingans in his arm before she lost consciousness. Days later, she woke up with a pounding pain in her head, and her hands flying to her eyes, scared to death that he had stolen her eyes. But to her relief, both eyes were still there but felt…disconnected somehow.

Later, after her first torture session that involved chains and hooks – it was as bad as one can imagine – one of Danzo's man confirmed that they had tried to transplant her Sharingan out of her eyes out and when deemed "normal" , they allowed her to keep it…as if they weren't her belonging and as far as the ROOT knew, it wasn't. They had assumed she stole it from the last Uchihas. There was no convincing them otherwise, not while they were under Danzo's influence.

Days after she began understanding her situation, she tried to create a plan. But she had been monitored, and as soon as they saw a certain look in her eyes, the gas was filtered through her little cell, and she was knocked out cold again. Then when she woke up, more torture and questioning, more defiance and repeat. Oh, and not to mention random attacks to force her to activate her sharingan to no avail. After a certain time of this, her fire had faded and they skipped past the torture and just settled on letting her die with her seemingly useless eyes.

And now, here was Hanako. After everything she's been through – only to be left with neither the truth, with family, friends, or even a reputation. She was left to rot in a jail cell with no light, barely any food, her chakra depleted. Her life, was over.

That was, until one day, one of Danzo's own man could not tolerate it any longer.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Aiko Shirutogi was the one in charge of handling all her food and the most _basic _needs – although a loose command since sometimes they replaced her air with harmful fumes and food was scarce. Still, with the curse seal branded on his shoulder, he could not disobey his order. And at first, he was fine with it. This was girl, after all, who stole the Sharingan eyes of the honourable Uchiha clan.

But as time passed, something changed. Maybe it was in the way a small smile would tug at her lips right before he brought her to the torture chamber in mockery defiance. During the beginning of her imprisonment, she kept up a string of obnoxious remarks – like telling him to buy her dinner before he cuffed her up. But as time passed and the only thing she was able to do was lay on the floor, he found himself waiting for the roll of her head in his direction. Little indicators that she was alive…that was what he needed. Those traits she had, even at her current state, was all too familiar to his brother's.

But it was getting bad now. A full two months had passed. And he had enough of it.

Aiko was on an assassination mission when right before he made his killing blow at a rivalling General's heart, he was ambushed and his arm ripped painfully off. But it just happened to be the arm with the curse mark. All this happened hours ago and he barely managed to escape, not even sparing time to heal himself fully. Before Danzo could realize he was out of his control, Aiko was already heading underground to release the girl.

Bleeding through a poorly bandaged lost limb, he struggled to climb to the bottom caves. _Thank God no one's here,_ he thought. He didn't exactly have a plan, he just knew that he was the only one monitoring her, and he knew her schedule that only consisted of feeding time, as if she was an animal. It was sickening. As he made his way closer, he knew that there was one person he can trust her with, just one.

He eventually got to her containment area. Using an Earth release technique, he cleared an opening. Hanako laid there, awfully still, eyes glazed over as she stared up into darkness. She didn't cry though, she never did, not in front of anyone.

"What's on the menu today?" She asked her voice cracking and lifeless. He felt like the lifting of his curse mark was also lifting the fog from his mind. He hated himself for only realizing now how cruel she was being treated.

"We're getting you out of here," Aiko whispered then winced, grabbing his bleeding arm. She looked at him, dark bags prominent underneath her black eyes.

"Is this a test? Because just go right to the part where you fail me and get it over with." She really had no incentive to live anymore, and that really shattered him. She threw an arm – a skinny thing it was, no muscle left, and just traces of fat that her body clung to in feeble attempts of staying alive – over her face and ignored him.

"Look, _look at me_. I'm not under any control and…I know that you have no reason to trust me but we have to get you out of here. Danzo doesn't care, he just wants you dead. If we leave right now, before anyone –"

"_Please_," she begged, her voice raspy and low, "just go."

Aiko had never hated himself more than in this moment for letting any human being sink to this level. He thought he was beyond redemption himself. He had to kill his own blood - his own _brother _for place in the horrible ROOTs and he had regret every day since.

"Force it is." Although crippled, he was still in much better condition than her. He easily picked her up and although she groaned, she didn't resist. He winced. She was so _light_. He placed her on his back and preformed a jutsu. He was an ANBU after all – he was skilled. Using earth techniques, he molded a tunnel out quickly to the outskirts of town. But with each step, each chakra pushing the dirt, each blood dropping gushing from his arm, he felt death approach a bit closer.

_ Is this how she feels like all the time?_

"Hanako? Hanako?" He whispered when he felt her limp body giving up. She made sounds but she sounded…peaceful. But this was bad – _really bad_. He knew that sound anywhere. Pain meant you were alive, and the moment right before you died, your body surrenders peacefully…

"Hanako, just stay with me! We're – we're almost out!"

"Why are you doing this?" She mumbled incoherently. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to continue even though his body was telling him he was approaching his limit.

"I – I don't know, I just have too, alright?" The image of a dark-haired boy with his likeness came to mind. It made him push himself - to defy Danzo, to keep on going. He felt the earth loosen, becoming less compressed. "We're almost out. Please, just hang in there." She mumbled something, her head dropping on his shoulder and long hair tangled in his wound. He had to bite down on his tongue to control his pain.

And then _at last _he saw the night sky. The relief that exploded in his chest was almost unbearable and he wanted to drop right there, but he had a suspecting feeling that if Hanako fell at any distance…well, that may just stop her heart permanently.

_ Where is he? _Aiko thought desperately. _I have to keep on going…I made it this far, God, look at what I've done already…it can't all be for nothing. _

But he _was _doing something right, because for the second time today, everything was happening like it was planned. He saw a familiar bushy-browed jonin – that although he looked down on, was now more grateful than ever to see – running his usual laps around the village at the odd hour. But with him, was the exact person he needed. Kakashi.

They stopped immediately despite the fact that Aiko made no sound. In the next instant, the two jonin were at his side, completely frozen in terror. They all gaped at them – the dying ANBU with the all too familiar girl on his back. Kakashi seemed the most impacted, his eye wide in disbelief because he could just _not _understand what he was seeing

"Hatake…" Aiko panted, feeling his spirit slipping but he forced himself to ignore it because worse, he felt Hanako's already irregular breathing slowing down, "I can't explain but…but take care of her." And then he fell, right before Kakashi took the girl in his arms. But Aiko, although knowing that these were his last moment, died, knowing that despite his life trapped in ROOT, he had died doing one good deed.

"Ka-Kakashi?" Guy whispered, "am I really seeing this?"

Kakashi was still petrified, his hands shaking, his eyes flickering wildly trying to take in the scene before him. He looked at the fallen shinobi, knowing that it was perhaps too late for him…but…for her – for Hanako he _had_ to react. He pulled off his headband and jacket, placing it underneath her.

There was Hanako in front of him, after two months of disappearing. He assumed it was for the sake of her Itachi chase…but never had he expected this. She was frail, impossibly thin to the point where he was scared of breaking her by just touching her. Bruises covered her skin, for she only wore rags, and he suspected some was just merely from being carried to whatever prison she was in.

And she was dying.

Finally, Kakashi snapped out of it.

"_No, Hanako, no_!" He shouted. _Not another one_. His father, his sensei, his first team, countless other ninjas - and Hanako too? "No, no no no," he repeated almost hysterically as his head scrambled for a plan. He was not a medic-nin but he had good control over his chakra. Remembering how he saw his comrades being treated in the infirmary, he mimicked this with the very memory.

"Guy," Kakashi said slowly his voice trembling but slowly regaining himself from the shock, "don't tell anyone about this."

"What do you mean?! We need to get her to an –"

"There's a reason why he brought her out here in the forest instead of to the infirmary," Kakashi reminded sharply. Guy stared at him hard with a confused expression as Kakashi focused on his breathing and expanded his chakra to a wider surface to heal her. Quickly, he checked for a heartbeat and almost melted when he heard it still there keeping his comrade alive. Resuming the amateur Mystical Palm, he made instructions.

"Go get some clothing, and water…and whatever else first aid things you can get a hold of. Then come back here as soon as possible. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Guy said seriously, although looking at the poor girl…no, he couldn't be distracted. He nodded and left. But right before that, he had finally realized _what _was different in Kakashi. He studied Kakashi for years, and in those few seconds where the silver haired ninja had seen Hanako, one of his eyes had changed.

* * *

Well that was long. And eventful. So long, that I bet some people didn't even bother reading this chapter! For those who are sitting there, wondering, Hey, where's Itachi?! Trust me, it's all good! He will be back soon, and when he's back, he's _back_.

Leave a **review** and tell me what you think! Thanks so much :)

*P.S. This was written _before _the chapter of Kakashi/Rin was released. I apologize for any confusion.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

"How are you feeling now?"

"Fine, geesh, quit hovering."

"I was just checking."

Hanako smiled. Sure, it was a weak one, but it was one nonetheless. Two weeks had passed since Kakashi had found his dying teammate and dead ANBU out in the forests. Keeping Hanako in strict hiding and recovery, with only Guy knowing her situation, Kakashi had stayed with her almost inseparably through the entire time. Still, two weeks was not enough.

She wasn't able to eat anything more than half a piece of bread and still vomit that out, and she even choked on her water. Her nails were brittle and broke on contact. His entire home – his former one that he lived in with his father many years ago – had her falling hair scattered all over. Her bruises were yellowing and healing, but the mere act of holding anything would make them return. He didn't know the extents of what happened in those two months, but her body had taken it hard. She had lost weight, lost muscle, her speed, and strength – everything, except for her desire for revenge.

Now, she was at least able to stand up with help. She was leaning against the door frame, a robe hanging loosely on her. Dark shadows were underneath her eyes, and her lips were chapped and breaking, but she was still smiling. "Can we go now?"

Kakashi shifted uncomfortable. "I don't know…"

They had been discussing it for a few days now. Hanako was desperately wanting a healer to speed up her recovery. Sure, there was Tsunade – the best option – but not with Danzo there in the Hokage buildings. So instead she was pushing Kakashi to take her up to a secret spot where she had a friend of the Rinha clan.

"She'll heal me up in no time," Hanako insisted, and her eyes were glowing. The spark in her came back fast. Kakashi sighed.

"Fine, we'll –"

Hanako stopped smiling and he stopped talking. Slowly, he asked, "What's wrong?" Hanako looked down, playing with the hems of her sleeves before looking up at her with an innocent smile.

"Well, you see, the Rinha clan is suppose to be extinct…and I'm not suppose to tell anyone that there's a survivor, and that sort of –"

"No."

"But –"

"You must be out of your _mind_ if you think that I'll let you travel alone." He shook his head and crossed his arms. She frowned, her eyebrows pulled together.

"Do you want me to die, Kakashi?"

"We'll find someone else."

"But –"

"It's not just your body, but your chakra stores are depleted. You're not at a ninja level right now, you're barely at a human level." Kakashi said sternly. She opened her mouth to argue again but he wasn't done. "You can't even make it out of this door without limping." She narrowed her eyes, feeling the challenge.

"Oh really?" She exclaimed and with what little chakra she had been building up in the last couple days, she flicked herself out the doors and granted, she stumbled down the stairs, she proved her point. Of course, Kakashi was right there next to her easily. Almost as soon as her feet tripped, Kakashi had swooped her up and carried her back into the house and onto a seat. "Hanako, I really think –"

"Look, Kakashi, I know that I may look…bad but I can't just sit and wait," she said. She had too much to think about when she was in captive. "Aiko died getting me out of there, and Danzo is still wandering around with his scary stolen sharingans in his arms – I can't be weak right now, and he's not expecting me to be alive so I should just leave now, get healed, come back and…rip his body apart."

True, Kakashi and Guy created an almost childish but foolproof plan fabricating her death. It involved basic transformation and clone jutsus – one of Hanako, one of Aiko. Guy merely laid on the floor while Kakashi gave a stunning performance to another ROOT member of him checking for a pulse and feeling nothing. They took the news easily, having been watching her for the last few days and already recognized an approaching death.

"I understand, but your safety is more important to me."

This stopped her whining. She stared up at him for a moment, and but her lip. It bled immediately. Then, seemingly tired from all the moving, she laid down and looked up at Kakashi. "Fine. Can you at least get me an apple? I think I can keep it down this time." At this, Kakashi's eyes crinkled approvingly and said, "Alright, I'll be back soon."

But when he returned, Hanako had left and there was nothing but an apology note on the table.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Hanako had no chance of making out of the village on her own and she felt bad for deceiving Kakashi. In the past, she came and went but that stopped after their year together. As a "I'm still here and alive" tribute to Kakashi, Hanako summoned one of Kakashi's ninken, Bull. He was a silent, large black bulldog and looked confused when he saw Hanako. He barked, as if saying _is that really you? _Several months ago, Hanako had signed her name on the contract that bound her to the hound ninkens.

"I need you to help me get away from here, and to the Light Village." Hanako instructed. Bull made a curious sound. She sighed. "Trust me, there are still people there. Just please, will you help me?" The dog bowed its head, and with probably the very last amount of chakra she had left, she used a jutsu to make Bull large enough to carry her, and then they were moving.

Many hours later, Hanako – who had been asleep on Bull's back – stirred and pulled together her robes. The cloak she threw on kept in most of her heat but they had left the Fire Country and it simply wasn't enough to keep her body warm. She hadn't thought about changing into proper gear, knowing that it would take too much time, but now it was necessary. She was scared that her old friend may not recognize her like this, looking sickly in a flimsy robe when they met before – when Hanako was just 12, and the woman, 22.

Getting off the dog, Hanako went to the meeting place they established years ago, in case of any emergency. The Rinha clan had very few survivors, but the ones that did lived in a huge mansion-like house in an extremely small village. Still Hanako remembered to go underneath the house. "Bull, dig." She instructed once she pinpointed the location. And he did just that until he reached a latch. Quickly, Hanako fell through and landed softly on her feet, although she felt the clear pain of impact.

"Who's there?" A voice demanded.

"Hanako Hyuga." There was silence following her name. But from the shadows not only came Malice* but another.

Itachi Uchiha.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Itachi knew that his fading eye vision was the side effect of the Mangekyo Sharingan but still, the returning disease in his lungs was something that he _could _control. That was why he tracked down Malice of the lost Rinha clan to help him. For days, he allowed her to probe and test him – knowing that she had an ulterior motive but he didn't care – until finally he waited for the proper medicines to at least sustain his life.

That was what he expected. To come, to get medicine, to go on.

What he didn't expect, was to see Hanako. The thought never even occurred to him. But when he saw her, it hit him like a lightening strike. He had to seriously rethink everything – had only a little over a year pass? _Had she stop eating because of him? _Because that was the first thing that hit him. Her health. She was noticeably sick – all skin and bone and bruises. "Hanako?" He said, not being able to hide the worry in his voice.

"Itachi?" She whispered, eyebrows pulled together in confusion. Just hearing that name brought back too much memories. Neither of them expected to ever see each other here out everywhere. But still, as cold as Itachi was to her, he couldn't simply let this slide. He asked her what happened. She looked down self consciously, wrapping her arms around her body.

"It's none of your concern," she said and looked behind. She exhaled in relief when she saw the familiar dark haired and golden eyed kunoichi. She ignored Itachi. "Malice, you have to help me." The older woman sighed but leaned out of the pathway.

"I wasn't expecting you to come here like this, still intact, but I suppose that's a good thing," she commented. When they had met all those years ago, Hanako was practically on the verge of permanent bone damage when she tried to save the woman's son. Hanako spared her a smile. Itachi stared at her, a familiar aching in his chest.

Before Hanako left him, she stopped for a moment as if realizing something. She turned around and looked at the man curiously. "Why _are_ you here?" She asked with a frown. He obviously wasn't going to tell her the truth. "There are –"

"Wait, I don't care." She interrupted, but the most confusing expression was on her face and hurried. Even after she left, Itachi stood there, not hurt but rather confused at the look on her face. It was as if she was trying to hold herself back.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

She hated the fact that after all the years, and after all he has said to her – she still allowed Itachi to leave such an impression on her. Malice was busying herself with preparing the proper tools so Hanako excused herself and slipped out. She ran out to the entrance where Itachi was still standing there, lost in thought. "Wait!" She called out. His head shifted in her direction just barely. She was out of breath, but still managed to wheeze, "I have to know the truth."

He frowned. "I already told you –"

_I am probably going to Hell for this_, she thought to herself, but she saw the look in Itachi's eyes and knew this was the opportunity she needed. If there was a moment to use his soft spot, it would be now. She stared at him steadily, but her body was slightly swaying. She forced her eyes to focus on him, and she could've sworn he was doing the same. She clenched her teeth slightly. "What if I told you I was dying?"

His eyes flickered up to her, and for that moment, his calm demeanour cracked.

"Can you please just tell me," she said in a low voice, "were you ordered to kill the entire clan?"

This was it. This was her…epiphany, her solution to the mystery that was Itachi Uchiha.

His eyes were far away now.

"Yes."

Everything flipped. She didn't know how else to explain it but like that. It was all right again, her world was _finally _making some sense. The enemy wasn't the enemy anymore, and all the anger just…went somewhere else. He looked at her, his eyes hesitant. "Everything I've said and done…I'm sorry." Something inside of her ached and all she could do was try to sort out the chaotic emotions. "Hanako?" His voice…saying her name…

And that was when Itachi became _her _Itachi all over again.

She opened her mouth, and then shook her head, turning away. "I'm…I'm fine." Although she was walking away, she didn't _want _too. She couldn't leave it just like that, not when Itachi wasn't…Itachi anymore. He wasn't the bad guy – not really. He was someone who held the burden when he should be praised, and that struck her heart tenderly. She thought about him, probably still standing there, lost in thought. And she wanted him _back_.

Too much of that passion that wasn't anger anymore. It was shifting and trying to burst.

"Itachi?" She called out, hoping that maybe he wasn't there but he still stood there, tall dark and she felt an odd sense of pride, of belonging because she knew someone as strong as he, someone that loved and obeyed a village to the extent he did.

He turned around, watching as she walked slowly towards him as if moving itself was an effort. He felt his eyes soften with pity. Then somehow she was already in front of him before he could react, she was holding his face close to her in her soft and frail hands. His eyes widen but he didn't pull back. Far from it. His guard broke down completely and he closed his eyes, suddenly holding her close to him as if he wanted to crush her into him. He got lost in the kiss, in the feeling of _her_. Itachi thought she was weakened, but far from it, he realized, as she let go of his face to grab his neck and lower him closer to her almost savagely.

He found himself holding onto her tightly because she wasn't just _some girl_; she was Hanako – his comrade, the constant, and the one person that came back again and again. And for that reason, he _wasn't _gentle or worried that he might break her – he wanted to hold onto her unyieldingly and never let her –

Breathlessly, Hanako shot back, trying to catch her breath as her heart raced in her chest. Never _ever _before she thought she would be kissing Itachi Uchiha. They never had a romantic relationship - they barely had a real friendship. But she wasn't willing to let him go, not yet. She already missed the warmth of him close to her, to the feeling of being overwhelmed by him. Hands on his chest, she rested her head against him, slowing her breath down.

"I…" She didn't know what to say, and at that, he laughed. The sound caused shivers to tingle down her spine.

"I know." He said and his tone was husky and it was then she realized – not during the kiss but after when he sounded gentle and amazed and naked shock in his voice at the intensity of his own raw feelings – that she loved Itachi Uchiha.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"Malice is probably waiting," Hanako said, looking up at Itachi, her eyes young and happy again.

"You should," he agreed, "but what are you going to do once you've recovered?" Time had passed and like 12 years ago, they got caught up in conversation, talking until almost sunset. She was sitting cross legged with his Akatsuki jacket wrapped around her and he sat in front of her, looking at her as if she was the most interesting thing in the world. They weren't Hanako Hyuga, the ANBU or Itachi Uchiha, the S-rank criminal; they were just a girl and a boy, getting lost in each other.

She opened her mouth, but she was ashamed to admit her plan. He watched her curiously, a careful expression on her face. Eventually she shrugged, and asked, "Help me up?" Those very words were what she had said all those years ago and he felt the familiar tug of a smile on his mouth.

"She's probably asleep by now, but I should at least explain," Hanako said, ignoring his question, "will I see you again?" She didn't know it, but her eyes were hopefully.

"Probably." He said but then his vision started to blur until she blended into the darkness. His eyebrows were pulled together, eyes narrowed to focus his vision but Hanako didn't know this and frowned.

"Did I say something wrong?" She asked, unsure.

"No," he shook his head and looked down, wanting nothing more than everything going back to the past where he wasn't getting blind and probably dying, when he had a family, when he had a life. "Nothing's wrong." Still sensing her doubt, he reached behind his neck for the chain he wore. He unlinked it and placed it in her palm.

"Just use this to track–"

"You do realize if I ever lose this, a bunch of nations and their military force will be all over you, don't you?"

He smiled. "I trust you."

She weighed the chain in the middle of her palm and then handed it back to him. "When I need you, I'll find you." He raised an eyebrow so she continued speaking. "Everything always brings us back to each other, and I want to push that limit…see how far it goes."

It was true - incredibly cliché but true - yet too uncertain. Sensing his lack of faith, she tilted her head and raised her eyebrow. "Have a little trust, Itachi." He couldn't help but roll his eyes ever so slightly. She frowned again, her forehead creased. "Don't you believe that everything has a meaning?" When he just stared, she rolled her eyes exaggeratedly this times, looking back towards the house and muttering, "I despise you, sometimes."

"I love you too." He said, his tone light. He touched her face, his thumbs running down that one dimple as if to check it was real. Hanako only stared. Who would have ever thought he could joke about something like that? Her eyes flickered back to him, a smile on her lips and eyes glowing.

"Fine, don't believe me but I'm not taking your necklace."

She completely ignored him, but it was still true. Without a doubt, Itachi Uchiha loved her.

* * *

More Itachi, don't you worry.

Reviews would be lovely.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

_Two years ago…_

"Are you sure you're heading the right way?"

"Your lack of trust in me is astounding."

"According to you, we follow the bird migration to get there so _excuse me _if I'm a bit skeptical."

"You're excused."

He sighed.

She smiled.

Then they were silent again, walking up the mountains. Months after her captivity and recovery, she was happier again and not just because she regained her strength, but also because of Itachi.

In the past months, she secretly lived part time in Konoha and other neighbouring villages. Sometimes, she was lonely. But most of the time, she had Kakashi's company to look forward too or enjoy. Still, she felt strange not pulling on the ANBU uniform every day. There was no use in wearing them now that she was suppose to be dead. Instead she wore, unsurprisingly, an outfit of all black and the same metal plated hand guards. Her bare legs were covered in scratches from the journey.

After realizing that Kakashi awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan, they trained to no avail. They just had nowhere to begin…until several days ago when Hanako remembered an Uchiha hide out located in a remote land that Shisui had mentioned a long, long time ago. There should be some scrolls about the Sharingan there, they figured. Their long journey led them up to undistinguishable forestry and rocks. Sure, it was suppose to be a hide out, but locating it was increasingly difficult.

"Just trust me," she said, running her hands through her hair, "I got this."

"What exactly do you 'got'?" Kakashi asked as he hacked at vines. Suddenly, she was grinning as she part away two hanging branches.

"I _told you _–"

"Hanako - look out!"

She swung around and arrows were flying at her head. Quickly, with the sword at her back, she withdrew it and blocked all of them quickly. She took a deep breath. "Thanks, comrade –"

"_Hanako, look!" _ She stared at Kakashi, who was freeing himself with thorn vines that had fell on him and she turned back to realize she was stepping at the edge of the cliff.

_What? Was this a genjutsu?_

She had already gone over the edge but quickly caught the ledge, stabbing her sword through the rocks. She was grateful that she trained like this so often or else she would have been a goner. Focusing chakra at her hand, she pulled herself up, and threw her arm over – only two grab a hold of the vine that Kakashi was trying to get rid of and making _him _off balance too.

"I'm sorry!" She shouted as she pulled herself back up to secured, stable land. She heard Kakashi groan in annoyance but he was easily up too. Her heart was racing from those few seconds and she looked up and realized that Kakashi was narrowing his eyes at her.

She smiled innocently as she slid the sword behind her. "I apologized, didn't I?"

"Too bad." He said, and then he picked her up as if she was a child, and _not _the adult she technically was now, and threw her over his shoulder. "Hey!" She said, resisting the urge to kick him.

"It's safer for us if I do all the walking," was his only explanation. Surprisingly, he felt her relax.

"Fine, I was getting tired anyways." She muttered. She didn't see, but he was smiling.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_This is where it is_, Itachi thought absent mindedly, _the place I will die in the hands of my younger brother. _It would be a good location…remote enough for his Susanoo if it came to it.

"Why are we here, Itachi?" Kisame asked not restlessly. He didn't mind tagging along with Itachi but the younger ninja had kept him in the shadow about the location and reason of their journey.

"This was my clan's secret hiding place in times of trouble," Itachi explained, but then lied, "there are things I need here."

"I didn't know you were the sentimental type," Kisame grinned but then his attention was caught elsewhere. He bent down and put his hand against the ground. "Someone's been through here," he informed, "I suppose your clan's not very good at keeping out –" Like Hanako before him, he made a step towards the edge of the cliff. Itachi didn't lose his composure as Kisame worked to regain his balance and walked back, slightly confused.

"A genjutsu? But who's keeping it up?"

"Chakra of the Uchihas that died here keeps up their defences," he said, "when intruders even realize they're walking off a cliff, it's already too late." Itachi turned, and closed his eyes, thinking carefully.

"Well thanks for warning me, Itachi." Kisame said but he chuckled.

"I _do _try my best." Itachi said dismissively and turned directions, gesturing at Kisame to follow him. When they covered half a mile, they suddenly heard a sound –

Laughter?

Itachi's eyes slid to where he heard the sound – the deeply familiar sound, and immediately the two Akatsuki members were in stealth mode, completely undetectable to even Kages. "Itachi," Kisame said in a low tone that was not quite a whisper "Well look at who's here."

He nodded a slight movement that he strained. There was Hanako, smiling and disturbingly folded over a man's – Kakashi's - shoulder as if she was a simple towel. He narrowed his eyes. Her head was tilted to Kakashi's direction, and she was saying something as a grin lit up her face. Itachi was surprised to see her…but more than that, he was…well, he felt strange observing her so completely carefree with another man. He never realized that he had never seen Hanako with friends before.

"…did you bring the _rakugan_?" She was asking. It was a small, overly sweet cake.

"Why would I bring that?" His tone was incredulous.

"Because I love it," she said as if it was obvious.

"And yet I still fail to see the reason why I should be the one holding it."

She groaned and thrashed a bit, but then they were laughing. Itachi considered the entire situation. He had never thought too much about it since he was young, but he noticed how they had never gone on a mission or even joked casually. Every time they met, it was intense, and that wasn't always a good thing.

"Thanks for carrying your weight of the journey, comrade."

And hearing her call someone else comrade was sort of pushing it.

"…so amuse me, Hanako, tell me, what _am_ I carrying now?"

She laughed and the sound rung throughout the forest and made him wanted to smile.

By now, Itachi and Kisame were already moving away from them. He wished he could just forget seeing her with him. He was being petty, it wasn't as if the term comrade solely belonged to him…but the pointn remained. Eventually the two missing-nin got to the hideout before the Konoha ninjas did and Itachi slowly looked through the scrolls, stalling. It was obvious he wanted to at least _remind_ Hanako of his existence…but after that, he didn't know what to do next. Kisame shifted excitedly.

"That was Kakashi Hatake, wasn't it? We didn't get to finish our fight the last time –"

"No," Itachi said quickly. Although he wasn't the leader of the partnership, Itachi was smarter and stronger; Kisame listened to him. He made a restless noise but shrugged.

"Maybe next time." He said. Itachi didn't respond. Then Kisame turned his head and looked back at Itachi. They had both heard it – steps down the corridor.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

"I don't suppose you have a map?" Kakashi asked once they entered the fortress. It was huge. Long corridors heading in nowhere in particular and plenty of rooms that could be containing _anything_. She scratched her head, frowning slightly.

"Right, because I would have the map of the interior but not on how to get there." She said, poking his arm. "I guess we're splitting up, comrade." She pointed down the straightest hallway directly from the entrance they built to get in. "I'll check this way." She was about to disappear into a room when Kakashi called out at her.

"And if this place is a maze?"

She groaned and peaked back out through the door, her hair swinging over her shoulder and only half her body visible. She glared at Kakashi with affection and said curtly, but teasingly, "Get Pakkun to sniff me out." And then she was walking along the hallway, peaking into each room. They were all empty and stone-cold. Clearly, nobody had been there for awhile and she was losing light the further down she searched. Using her affinity, she gathered the chakra at the palm of her hands to light up her way.

Hanako was distracted, scanning through the rooms and she bumped into something – or someone. Immediately, she looked up and expanded her lightening trick to a chidori until –

"Itachi?" She whispered, confused. His hands were around her wrist and she straightened out her fingers, her chakra disbanding. Her heart raced. "What are you –"

He only placed a finger over his lip but the image of six year-old Itachi doing the exact same gesture before pulling her behind the walls protectively unlocked a lot of the feelings she had repressed since she last saw him. She gave up wondering if this was a dream and simply pulled him closer. . She reached out to hold his face and he dropped her wrist, wrapping his arms around her instead. Next thing she knew, Itachi – gentle, intelligent Itachi was pushing her against the wall.

_Damn._

_ This can't be real._

From a distance, she heard her name.

"Hanako?"

Her eyes flew open and she knocked back against the wall in shock. She was staring at Itachi in pure amazement. _What just happened? _"What are you doing here?" She said urgently in a hushed tone, worried that Kakashi would be coming soon. He tilted his head and she so badly wanted to run her fingers through his dark hair.

"I should be asking _you_ that," he said, his voice rough but he looked almost smug. "This is my clan's hideout, after all." She looked up at him, then down the corridor.

"I was looking for–" she stopped and slapped her head. _Of course_, she thought, _why didn't I think about it before? _"Itachi, do you know anything about the Mangekyo Sharingan?" He stopped.

"The Mangekyo isn't –"

"Hanako!"

She turned around quickly and there was Kakashi, less than ten yards away from her. Thank God for the darkness because she was sure her face was still flushed red. Her eyes flashed back to where Itachi, fear that they were caught - but he was gone.

_Did I imagine the whole thing?_

Kakashi looked at the breathless girl and wondered what happened. She laughed nervously and touched her hair. "I thought I saw something," was her lame excuse. Her eyes darted around. "A spider, maybe." He looked at her suspiciously.

"Well, alright." He said slowly.

_Still such a girl._

* * *

Let's hope I find some time to write up a few more chapters - because this is the last of my already-written up chapters that has been giving you such quick updates!

Review and tell me what y'all think! :)


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Itachi tapped his fingers against the rest on the throne. He was sitting in complete darkness, but be figured he might as well get use to it since this would become his future one day…this blindness. And one day, it would be Kakashi's. He had to be the one Hanako was gathering information for. It had been several days now that they met again, and the request still lingered on his mind.

The right thing to do would be to tell her to make sure Kakashi didn't use the other Sharingan, as it would take away his sight. But the easy thing to do would be to just ignore, to pretend he didn't hear her ask him. Yet…he couldn't do that to Hanako. Obviously, despite his preferences, Hanako seemed to be close – or rather, still close – to Kakashi, and for her to one day lose him as well…

He sighed. His decision was clear. He couldn't hurt Hanako in the long run, he owed her the truth. Summoning his crows, he was prepared to send out the message when his body jerked with a spasm of coughs, blood staining his sleeve and running through his fingers. T_his illness_, he thought bitterly, _it's getting worse each tim_e. His hands reached for the pills in his hands, hating that these tiny things were the only thing keeping him alive.

Considering his karma, it was fair. But now that he had Hanako…he couldn't accept it. He closed his eyes, knowing that he shouldn't have interfered with her life…what if she loved him? To love a dying man would be... undesirable. He closed his eyes, making his second decision.

First, he must warn her to not allow Kakashi to use the Mangekyo. She already lost so many people, and will continue too. If that advice will keep Kakashi well and keep her happy, then so be it.

Secondly, he must make sure they never crossed path again.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_Hanako, just stay with me! We're – we're almost out!_

…_Just hang in there…_

_Take care of her._

Hanako shot up, disorientated. She blinked, frozen in the moment before her head fell in her hands. "It's getting worse," she whispered to herself. The nightmares…each time were getting more detailed, more horrific. She rubbed her eyes and swung her legs over the bed but she couldn't push herself to get out. All she thought was about Aiko, a stranger to her – died saving her. And nobody knew the great thing he did.

All because of Danzo Shimura.

She tightened her fist, her anger growing. Although time had passed since her imprisonment, lately she had been thinking more and more about it. She wanted to get revenge, to make Danzo hurt the way she had been. She sat there, thinking about all the ways to kill him, and thought about all the ways to get around the Sharingans. Eventually, fired up, she got up and washed her face. She ignored the casual robes that hung from her closet that she had been wearing for the past two weeks. Instead, she pulled on her ninja gear and tied her hair back into a sleek ponytail and pulled up her mask to cover her face, Kakashi style.

She tapped her finger against her lips, thinking about what weapon to bring into Konoha. Right now, she was out in a neighbouring village not too far away. Since she was returning to the Hidden village, she needed to be equipped just in case she ran into anyone. She decided on her trusty matte, black katana sword and the usual kunai and shuriken.

Twelve miles later, she was jumping up to the building and slipped through Kakashi's window. She landed soundlessly in front of him – who was…changing. He still had the tight sleeveless shirt underneath but she felt the need to cough anyway.

He looked at her curiously. "Why hello Hanako."

She opened her mouth, not knowing what to get out first. She decided on, "I've been having dreams."

"I wouldn't have guessed that," he said pointing at his own eye as an example, "You're getting bags." She rolled her eyes and came to sit down cross-legged on his bed. "It's about Aiko…the ANBU that saved me."

He frowned at his and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "That's been awhile, Hanako," he commented, "why are you dreaming about it now?"

She opened her mouth again, but like before, she wasn't sure what to say. Instead, she shrugged. "I'm just…I always hear him at night, trying to save me and he succeeds and…I would be alive and out, but I would see him die. And then I wake up so angry each time," her eyes flashed and she had to take a deep breath to control herself, "because Danzo is still alive." He watched her carefully.

"Hanako, what exactly are you planning?"

"I know I said I'll forget about him but," her lips twitched, "that was for my sake. Now, it's for Aiko's."

"You can't _honestly_ try to assassinate Danzo Shimura."

She stared.

"Are you not with me on this?" She asked, honestly confused.

"Of course not, that's –"

She seemed shocked, and maybe even slightly hurt. "Look, I know a lot of time has passed but it doesn't make what he did right – what he continues to do, and everything he's probably gotten away with. I can't let him get away…and now you're on _his_ side?"

"There are _no_ sides. You're talking about killing a Council member, Hanako."

"He tried to kill me!" And her voice rung with hurt. Kakashi's eyes widened speechless.

She opened her mouth and for the third time, she closed it. She didn't know what else to say to her comrade, the coward. That was the way she saw it – he was turning a blind eye to all the acts of Danzo Shimura. This time, she stayed quiet, shaking her head. It wasn't until she stepped out of his room – through the door, because there was no more hiding – that she finally spoke.

"Danzo wanted me dead, and now you're keeping him alive."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

She felt the weight of loneliness heavy in her head and heart. She knew that when she left him, she made her decision to leave behind Kakashi as well. Where was Itachi when she needed him?

She should've just taken that damn necklace.

She scratched her head, wondering what to do now when her eyes caught the motion of wings flapping. She stared at the crow, knowing that it was no ordinary one - and then she saw the it flew to her and dropped the parchment on her. Curiously, she picked it up from the ground and scanned the paper.

Now _this_ was a problem.

She started to panic, her mind raging a fight between her pride and loyalty. She could go back now and look like a sulking child but...it may save Kakashi's sight. Or she could just leave and let the traitor -

Okay, that wasn't an option. She sighed, and ran back to his apartment - only to see that he wasn't there. She decided to return - but not chase after him. Quickly, she broke in and wrote up a note before leaving. Looking at the letter that Itachi sent her, she realized that she had a way to find him after all.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_He's here? Again?_

She frowned, confused and slightly disappointed. Had her tracking got interfered? Why would he back at Malice Rinha's home? Still, she had nothing to lose...now that she was a rogue and a lonely one at that. Disguising her chakra and presence, she slid underneath to the underground facilities and saw Malice there...with Itachi. Her frowned deepened and she leaned in, trying to catch what they were talking about.

"You can't _possibly_ have a limit, Itachi."

"Two years will be fine."

"Just...two? You are still so young..."

"I know you have a motive, Malice.*" His voice sounded indifferent. "Whatever your plan was, it would have never worked. I just need another dosage enough for the next year, and I'll leave." There was a threat in his voice, and then a moment of silence. Then she heard the clatter of glasswares and quiet muttering.

"To die before even experiencing the joy of having a family, have children..."

_To die?_

Suddenly she couldn't breathe and she forced herself to believe that she heard wrong. Her mind replayed the scene frantically but she couldn't make sense of it. The more she thought about it, the more those words overwhelmed her. She stumbled out, knowing that she made a sound but she didn't care because...because -

"Hanako?"

She looked up, eyes wild and desperate. Itachi was in front of her. The lower half of his face was hidden behind the collar of his cloak, she couldn't tell whether or not he was frowning at her but his eyes showed no remorse and he sounded completely...detached.

"Tell me I heard wrong," she demanded, her voice shaking.

"Why are you here." Despite the fact it was a question, he sounded abrupt. Curt.

"I was..." she didn't know what to say, "I was..." _how can I not sound creepy?_

Screw it.

_He may be dying._

She snapped. "I tracked you down from that letter you sent me, alright? And now -" her arms shot out and directed towards the house, "you're _dying_?"

His eyes didn't waver and he simply stared at her. Then he closed his eyes and walked past her, brushing her off.

"It does not concern you."

And that was how Hanako lost everyone in a single day.


	17. Part Four: Chapter 17

_One year ago..._

_"Hanako?"_

_"..."_

_"Hanako!"_

_For the first time in months, she heard the sound of her name being called out non-threateningly, almost happily. She looked up and saw a familiar white-haired man. She doesn't smile, but her eyes soften with familiarity and likeness. "Jiraiya," she greeted pleasantly, "its been awhile."_

_"It sure has," he agreed. They only met on several occasions after the funeral of the Jokage but he had always been kind to her. He observed her carefully before stating that she changed; she simply shrugged and her only explanation was, "things have changed."_

_"No kidding," he scoffed, "from ANBU Captain to a missing-nin."_

_She rolled her eyes. It was Danzo's fault, of course, that she now had a reputation as a traitor. She didn't care that he knew she was still alive afterall. Despite her declaration of revenge that broke her partnership with Kakashi a part, she never pursued to bring down Danzo. In fact, she hasn't done much. She moved out of all the small villages and currently reside in a permanent upscale home in the Capital of the Land of Fire. How she afforded it? Dirty money and side jobs on the side._

_"What are you doing here anyway, researching?" She asked with a sly smile. In the past few years, she managed to capture a few glimpse of his infamous Icha Icha series that Kakashi was so fond of._

_"Yes!" He broke up with a booming laughter but when she didn't return his cheery spirit, he turned serious again and said, "and...I was trying to get Naruto out of the Akatsuki's way."_

_"He's here?"_  
_"And in hiding; although the kid's such a knuckle head that he probably thinks we're taking a short vacation."_

_"What's going on with the Akatsuki?" She asked with a frown._

_"They're gathering the tailed beasts and that's a bad sign enough. It's better if Naruto is completely under the radar."_

_"He's got you with him, shouldn't he be fine?"_

_"But they have Itachi."_

_She was unfazed._

_"And?"_

_"If they don't have him on their side...that's a huge advantage."_

_She stared at him for a moment, and then sighed. "What exactly do you want me to do, Jiraiya?"_

_..._

Part Four: Chapter Seventeen

_One year ago..._

"I'm pretty sure this was too easy," Hanako said quietly to herself, biting her lip in doubt. It was definitely much too easy - it took her and Kakashi hours last time to get through the woods...but as soon as she arrived in the geographic area, she already sighted the familiar structure. The Uchiha hideout. Still, she trekked her way through the remaining trees until it began thinning out and she clearly saw the two towers connecting to the mountain. She quickly scaled up the terraces and went inside. It was quiet and dark as always. She sighed, wondering if he was even here.

Itachi Uchiha was dying. Where would he go? Somewhere to rest. Where can he go where no one else knows? The Uchiha hide out. It all made sense. She doubted he kept a _house_. This place had to be it. She walked down the halls, hearing the her foot against stone. She wanted to make her presence known - after all, what good was hiding from Itachi? But after countless wandering, she still heard nothing. She was almost convinced no one was there.

But, she had to give it one last try.

Taking a deep breathe, she gathered her chakra, body calm. And in the next instant, cool and collected flipped to destructive and chaotuc; lightening chakra exploded with a high intensity - a chakra strong enough, hot enough and bright enough to not only bring down a part of the structure down but basically acted as a beacon in the five mile radius.

Catching her breath, she waited for a response. And nothing.

A vein was pretty much about to burst in her forehead. "Goddamn it!" She shouted, and brought down whatever left of the floor down with her fist. She let out a groan and grabbed her hair. "You can't be serious!" No answer - just the birds. That was, until a split second later.

"About what?"

She turned around, and there he was. She stared, open mouthed.

"Was there a particular reason why you decided to destroy this mountain?" He asked dryly. She just stared because he was so familiar and...for a year, she saw no one - _no one _that she was ever close too. But here was someone that impacted her life so much - the same, dark haired, serious looking boy - er, man. Her mind was all over the place.

"Hanako?"

"Hm?"

Now _he_ was playing the staring game, waiting for an answer. "Hanako," he said again and she blinked. She opened her mouth but she forgot what she had been planning to say. Whatever Jiraiya had said to her completely flew out of her head and she had not gotten ready for what to say at the confrontatio. So the only thought that her mind didn't scramble up was the raw truth. And after another moment of him staring at her with those dark eyes, she opened her mouth and filtered nothing.

"You don't get the choice."

"What?"

"I said," her black eyes were wide with a different sort of excitement, "_you don't get the choice to just walk out of my life._" She let out a bitter laugh. "You can't just...just show me this gentle side of you and talk to me as if I matter than all of a sudden tell me that your life doesn't concern me. No. You have..._no right _to just leave. Who exactly let you declare everything? Why do _I _have to accommodate my life and my...my desires to your liking? Am I suppose to be at your command and disposal like some sort of -"

"Hana-"

"No!" She cut him off, her voice escalating and her palms up. She was in it too much now to _just _let him stop her with his harsh words. "I am _not _done yet. You are out of your mind - you, you sociopathic, antisocial, psychotic -"

"Calling me all the mental illnesses you can imagine isn't exactly explaining why you blew up the fortress."

"Oh for God's sake, _shut up, _Itachi! Just...just," she covered her face, fingers over her eyes and nose bridge in frustration. "Shut up." And he does. Surprisingly, he does. And now she had no idea what else to say. What can she say? What was _left _to say?

Three words. Three words that may change his mind but she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud with fear of being hurt yet again.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

It was...what was the word, endearing? No, it was nostalgic to see Hanako like this again. All scrambled up and her words not quite right. To be completely honest, Itachi enjoyed seeing her have no control whatsoever over the situation for once. He looked at her patiently, waiting for her to form a proper sentence but instead, it seemed as if she gave up trying to speak. And he played on that because she amused him, she was the _only _one that was much interest to him, in fact.

He missed her.

Even Itachi Uchiha could only go so long being completely alone. She was the only one who understood loneliness as he did.

"I can't think right now," she mumbled and like a child, she dropped and sat down on the ground, crossing her legs and resting her head in her hands. He didn't bother hiding his surprise at her odd habits at a time like this. "I was supposed to hunt you down and I don't know, ask you to _quit the Akatsuki_." She laughed in dark humour. His eyes notice that dimple - that one dimple. "I have this suspicion that you're just in that organization to kill time. It's the only place that was accepting 13 year old mass murderers, right?"

That stung.

But he just rolled his eyes. Hanako looked up at him, and pathetically admitted that she liked Itachi's patronizing attitude a lot more than the frightened ones she had been getting for the last year. Maybe she just preferred Itachi over most people…which should make complete sense since they –

Hanako tore her eyes away, removing the thought of Itachi kissing her from her head. But that, of course, only brought it up and she didn't want to get caught up in the daydream when things were happier but she couldn't help but want that moment again. She could just imagine the warmth of him on her, the way his eyes – that were so thickly framed with dark lashes – would look at her with the most amused expression. She sighed, coming to the conclusion that she didn't have much left to lose – and chances were that Itachi would never see her again after this.

"Are you really dying?" She asked softly.

"I told you," his voice wasn't unfamiliar anymore, and he started to sound more like himself…even if it _was _still not the warm type, "it's none of your concern."

"Just answer the damn question, Itachi."

"I –"

Even though she was the one demanding him to answer, she cut him off. She wasn't think, she automatically reached out to him and –

And he was gone. Confused, she whipped around, her pride diminished. For some reason, _that _was what struck Hanako the most. Itachi basically ran from her touch. She felt her chest heat up, and if it wasn't for the confused and embarrassed feeling, she would have been enraged. Itachi stood far from her, looking down on her.

He couldn't…touch her. He _couldn't _show her anything that would make her feelings too serious because he felt himself dying in each bloody cough, and in each moment his vision gave out. It would be cruel to lead her on, to allow her to love a dying man but he had to end this reunion now. Those few precious seconds with Hanako were enough to sustain him for now. "Forget about the ruins," he said and his voice was oddly rough although not harsh, "just leave, Hanako. There's nothing for you here."

All his run-ins with Hanako _had _to mean something. So despite his words, he swore that the next time he saw her...he would tell her the complete truth. But for now, he had to make sure that it wouldn't happen. He had to break her.

Hanako could swear that Itachi stayed up at night going through crushing lines to drop on her. She could only stare. Then her eyelids lowered and she got up, brushing the dirt off her pants and simply walked away. She had enough of him. If he didn't feel anything towards her, fine. She'll give up on him. Love can fade, and she would force hers too.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

_Five months ago…_

She watched them carefully and the instant the two elders left the building, she slipped in. She sped past the room and retreated to the back where an intricate vault was hiding behind the cliché bookshelf.

She had been studying the lock and room for several weeks now – using her Sharingan to evaluate how much chakra Danzo would push through to unlock it…and it was a hell of a lot. But she could manage it; so wielding the chakra solely at the dead centre her fingertips – a hard enough spot, even considering her gifted control – she released the exact amount of chakra in a burst and a gratifying lock clicked in place. Her eyes were still a glowing red as she concentrated the chakra in her palm and using it to grip the sides. With a different amount of chakra, she unlocked it as well.

The files in the storage were marked on a system of 1s and 0s. Having seen the system before during her ANBU days, she easily deciphered Aiko's folder and worked on finding it. It took her a full and disappointing twenty minutes too…but there were no disturbances. After all, no one would be stupid enough to sneak into the Hokage building threatening harm.

It was quiet, and Hanako was reckless.

_Should I…?_

And she did. Her fingers skim through the files under the H code section and found her name on easily the thickest bound. She took the entire package and left.

A few hours later, Hanako was sitting in the middle of the room with papers and records scattered around her. Her original mission was to gather information on Aiko and maybe track down a family or loved one. She wanted to tell them the truth of his death – that it wasn't just from injury, but because he died saving her. She hoped that maybe this would make their pains more understandable...but it was useless. His whole entire life was dedicated around ROOT. He killed his own brother for it.

She closed her eyes and put away his file. With a growing headache, she was still for a second. Then she sighed and reached for her files. Call it masochistic, but she wanted to read through the tragic story that was her life. But…it wasn't at all like Aiko. It didn't open with a file of a picture, name and abilities or a biography. The first page was a mission document.

As she read, her heart dropped, and her fingers shook so bad that the words began to be undecipherably. But the title still spun in her mind.

It was the report of the Dojutsu Transfer mission.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Hanako stared up at the ceiling, wondering what to do next. She couldn't go to Itachi or Kakashi, now. The only sensible thing she could do was be stronger and then take out Danzo, and reveal the truth about him and all his "missions" to Konoha. It would cause chaos, but at least the village would now start on honesty, rather than dark secrets, corruption and side assassinations. Even _if _she had to hunt down high-level shinobi...whatever it took, she was going to restore the village to something honourable.

But first, she needed backup.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_Two months ago…_

"Your name."

She gave them her most lovely smile as she said softly, "Katsu Takahasi." Hanako even so delicately batted her eyelashes, trying to portray the most innocent lady she can. She didn't even bother bringing any weapons, simply a long, thick black cloak and a pale blue silk robe that wrapped around her as a dress. She was the most non-threatening looking person possible. Still, the ninjas at the gate were wary. This was Kumogakure, after all, the strongest military village.

But they could only go so far with a civilian girl. She didn't even have to infiltrate the village – it felt odd to freely walk through the streets. By night time, she gathered intel on the village and enough to support her hypothesis: Kumogakure would not mind taking out Konoha's military leader.

It was traitorous, hoping that another village would take down hers…but she just needed Danzo out of the way. It wasn't a war, it would be –

_What was that?_

Not too far away, she heard a crash from the mountains. It was suspicious – so of course, Hanako ran over there immediately. As soon as she saw a large, flaming blue beast she knew that she walked in on the wrong fight. _Ah man, out of everything to encounter…_And then a huge scythe was flying in the air, a chain attached to it and blood sprayed everywhere. She ran to another cover, trying to catch what was going on – and saw a man whose skin was practically painted black with white streaks…_and then he stabbed himself._

"No!" Hanako shouted, thinking the man was committing suicide – but she was stupid and reckless. This man was the goddamn Akatsuki. She was too caught up in the presence of the man and the Tailed Beast to see it before but now she was in trouble. The beast diminished and was replaced by a blonde kunoichi.

"Who the fuck is this?" The man complained loudly. "Kakuzu!"

"I'm on it."

The next thing she saw, a man in a black mask was in front of him. Momentarily thrown off guard by the automatic comparison she made of him to Kakashi, she jumped out of the way before the Akatsuki could touch her. _This is Hidan and Kakuzu, the zombie combo. _He was fast though – but hell, she had grown up comparing herself to Itachi Uchiha, so she immediately got out of his way. She knew that she had to get the woman – the jinchuriki out of here, _fast_. As she disappeared in and out from Kakuzu's vision, she went to the man. _I have to get him out of that circle! _

"Can't catch up, old man?" Hanako called out, trying to get them off their game. Hidan was stabbing himself repeatedly, laughing insanely as the jinchuriki spat out blood, crying out in pain. Kakuzu was already catching up to her, and in that instant, she slowed down enough to let him catch up to him – only for both of them to run straight into Hidan, knocking him out of his ritualistic circle.

"Goddamn it, watch where you're fucking going!"

They were both tumbling and falling out, and Hanako dragged them with her as she fell over the mountain. Hidan was out of his grim-reaper appearance, and she caught the sight of silver hair – another image of Kakashi popped up in her mind – before one of them kicked her painfully in the rib, another crack in her arm and they were out of her grip.

"What the _hell _do you think you're doing?" Hidan shouted.

"Get the jinchuriki, you fool! I'll take care of her!"

"I _dare _you too," Hanako spat out, getting up. She winced, feeling the broken rib and probably a fractured arm. The blonde kunoichi was standing up now too, her dark eyes intense as she gave into the tailed demon's chakra but Hidan was back in the circle and he took a sword and stabbed it over his chest. Simultaneously, the two fell.

_Damn damn damn. _She was weak but enraged, yet she still managed to run into Kakuzu with her lightening rod jutsu. He didn't even have a chance to get out of the way before she pierced the lightening through his chest but a pain became alive in her back as she realized_ something _slashed straight through her back.

The bolt of electricity stopped and she fell to the ground. She heard someone swearing and struggling to get up from the ground, she managed to see the silver haired Akatsuki transform into the black skin creature and this time, it was _her _blood that surrounded him.

"So much trouble for this little bitch who got in the way," he was muttering, "it should've been easy killing her for you. You're weaker than I thought, Kakuzu."

"You must be blind. Look at her eyes – they're like Itachi's." The other instantly snapped. "Don't underestimate the Sharingan, it can be powerful. In fact, _I want it_."

There was a greed in his voice and Hanako actually feared that they would rip off her eyes right there and then. Her fingers clawed through the rocks, forcing herself to get back up on her feet – and so was the jinchuriki. "I've had enough of you too, if I die – I'm taking you with me," the woman was saying, eyes blazing with vengeance.

"Quick – get the beast first!"

Hidan groaned and vanished into the other circle and this time when he stabbed himself, he kept the sword there and they fell together. When Hanako tried to stand back up to face Kakuzu – he was already in front of her.

"You're a fast one... I didn't expect that. If there will be a next time, I will remember that." And then his fingers were around her throat, constricting.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Now _this _certainly had to mean something. Itachi Uchiha had walked back into the Akatsuki meeting place expecting to see the two-tailed beast and a long process of extracting the chakra. What he _didn't _expect was Hidan dragging on a certain black-haired kunoichi behind him and throwing her to a corner as if she was a doll. Itachi's eyes flashed as his Sharingan activated in pure instinct of protection and danger. Hidan noticed the reaction immediately and smirked.

"Eh? So I was right afterall –"

"I'm taking her." An oath was an oath. The next time he saw Hanako, he would tell her the truth…and he will make sure if it. Itachi bent down and brushed aside the immortal ninja before taking her into his arms and leaving the underground chambers briefly and leaving her somewhere safe.

_There are no such things as coincidences after all._

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Black eyes shot open and scanned the room. A pain suddenly struck her right below her rib and as she moved her arms to touch it, _it _started coming alive with pain as well. She swore quietly, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to keep her body still. She was aching all over as if she hadn't been awake for days.

"You're awake."

"HOLY –" Her heart practically stopped at the surprise. She took a deep breath and then glared at where the voice was coming from. And then the glare intensified when she saw it was Itachi closing the door behind him and standing in the middle of the room, examining her carefully.

"It's been a week since you've been out."

_A week?_

_What happened?_

She tried to recall her memory…she remembered going to Kumagakure and running into the jinchuriki as well as the –

_Am I at the Akatsuki headquarters?_

_This is_ not _good_.

Grunting, she forced herself painfully out of the bed. Itachi took a step closer but she awkwardly held out a hand at him. "Don't you dare come closer to me or I will _somehow _manage to hurt you."

"I'm not trying to harm you, Hanako."

"Sure you don't," she said but there was a certain recognizable warmth in his voice and eyes too. He was different from before – it didn't seem like he was trying to distance himself from her. Instead, he closed the distance between them and sat next to her on the bed. "I had never intended to hurt you, please believe that."

"I think you're taking the wrong medicine, Itachi." Was he out of his mind?

"That doesn't matter." He said but then he seemed distracted and his gaze wandered before he closed his eyes and turned his face away from her. "I swore to myself that if we ever saw each other again, I would tell you the truth."

"You murdered your clan under Konoha's order and you're dying. I got that already, thanks." His face creased ever so slightly and his fist tightened at his sides. Despite all the burying and forcing herself to forget their past, the look on his face caused her sadness and she regretted her words immediately. She couldn't help herself. Whenever she felt...on the verge of vulnerability, it brought out a cruel side of her.

"I _am_ sorry, Hanako, for everything. I know this wasn't what you planned." And for some reason, this threw her back into her memories and she was nostalgic with the laughter and smiles of the past. She remembered lying on the grass, drenched in sweat and dirt but feeling incredibly because she had tackled down Itachi Uchiha. She remembered the wide-eyed boy who was staring at her because she wanted to play on the swing set. She remembered his mother setting a bowl of piping hot food to her – her first home cooked meal in _so _long that she had forgotten what it was like. And mostly, she remembered her voice getting rough and scratchy with hours of talk with him about their future, about their hopes and dreams…about their village and honour.

And now, none of that meant anything.

"Not at all."

"There was one thing I always suspected would happen though," he said and his voice was low. She narrowed her eyes at him and he was still faced away from her suspiciously. "I had a feeling that you and I would always be here for each other."

She let out a harsh laugh. "Says the guy who wanted to get rid of me at every chance he got."

"Not every."

She stared at him. "Where am I, Itachi?" She said slowly, standing up away from him.

"That doesn't matter. Hanako, listen."

"No, I will _not _listen. Tell me where I am and tell me how the hell I can get out of here and –"

"Go where? To Konoha? Or Kumogakure? Or maybe you would just leave the Hidden villages in general and work for –"

"What, are you stalking me?" She cut him off, but her cheeks were flushed. "You made it pretty clear there was nothing going on between us, and now you're forcing me to stay? Does that make _any _sense to you?"

Of course not. Nothing about _her _made sense. She was reckless but careful. Kind but cruel. Persistent but lazy. Excited and lethargic. But that's what made him love her, the one thing that made her stand out.

"What would be the point of a dying man loving another?"

She stopped completely and stared wide eyed at the serious looking shinobi, whose eyes were sad and old. He experienced so much for his age, and it was as if the events of a century old shinobi had been squeezed into a fifth of the span. "Love?"

"What else do you think it would be, Hanako," he said and his voice was heavy with an affectionate sort of annoyance. "Why would anyone keep someone around for this long?" When she remained silent in shock, he continued and looked at her, saying, "Fifteen years, Hanako."

"Fifteen?" How had it been that long? All the time they've seen each other could hardly accumulate for a month – no, barely a week. So many years separated each meeting but yet it really did felt like a lifetime. The two lives were so apart, but yet always constant.

"I know I said that I wanted to be honest with you, but I've been lying to you all along. But here's the truth, Hanako: I _do _love you and that will never change."

* * *

**A/N: **In case you are interested, here is the file!

* * *

**MISSION TITLE:** Dojutsu Transfer Experiment

**CLASS**: S-Rank

**CARRIED OUT BY/SUPERVISED BY**: Danzo Shimura

**DATE/DURATION**: November 11, 1993 – present

**OBJECTIVE**: *Hypothesis to be attached*

**MISSION DETAILS:**

TEST SUBJECTS:

[In order from least to highest of expectant success]

_Tsui, Shimuri_. Age: Newborn. Female. Low-Normal chakra levels. Civilian.

_Ichijo, Ren._ Age: Newborn. Male. Normal chakra levels. Military background.

_Hyuga, Hanako_. Age: Newborn. Female. Medium-High chakra levels. Byakugan. Military background.

_Juricho, Lii_. Age:Newborn. Male. High chakra levels. Fire affinity. Military background.

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS:

_Tsui_, died during transfer.

_Ichijo_, blinded. Died of infection.

_Juricho_, sharingan transfer success. Chakra level decreased dramatically. To be released for observation

UPDATE: Died November 15th, 1993. Chakra levels depleted.

_Hyuga_, physical change. Clear eyes darkened. Chakra levels constant. No indication of success. To be released for observation.

UPDATE: No ability of native kekkei genkai.

Died September 6th, 1998.*

Sighted May 2nd, 2003.

Missing, May 2003 – 2005.

Died February 24th, 2005 under "Uchiha Clan Massacre" mission.*

Sighted March 22nd, 2010.

Declared official ANBU Member April 15th, 2010.

**SECOND PHASE CARRIED **OUT November 11, 2012. Unsuccessful re-transfer. Sharingan unattained. Died during duration.*

Sighted January 8th, 2013. Declared missing-nin. Sharingan possession and whereabouts unknown. To be killed on sight.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

_Two weeks ago…_

With a slight mumble, Hanako turned to her side and threw her arms over the man lying next to her. For a moment, the world was right and everybody was happy and alive. And then the truth crushed her like it does every single morning, when the haze of sleep and unconsciousness lift after a few glorious seconds. Slowly she opened her eyes and habitually concentrated chakra to her hand. Softly, she placed her hand over his chest and focused the Mystical Palm. Half asleep still, she kept a constant stream of chakra until suddenly a hand was over hers and pressed it down to his chest, dispelling the blue glow.

"You don't have to try to heal me every waking hour, Hanako," said a sleepy tone, "it's okay."

"No, it's not," she said and got up. They had this argument plenty of times in the past month. "It's _not _okay until you're –" She abruptly stopped when she saw the look on his face. With a resigned sigh, she retreated back into the warmth of the bed next to Itachi and rested her head on his chest. She listened to the steady beat of his heart, allowing herself to close her eyes and falling back into a sleepy state.

She always stopped her complaining because she knew that it was a hard thing for Itachi to admit his feelings, knowing that he would die and that she would be crushed. But it wasn't just his choice – _she _wanted it too. Hanako saw no point in going on, probably killing herself with 'what if's when she could experience what it was like to truly be with her childhood comrade.

His fingers squeezed her hand gently, reassuringly. "I'm fine, really."

"You're a liar, and I hate you." She muttered but she buried her face closer to him and he laughed, his voice still rough from just waking up. She honestly _did _love Itachi – especially the side of him that nobody saw.

"I love you too." He turned to his side so that they were both facing each other, face to face. A hand underneath his cheek, his black eyes staring right into hers, she had an uncontrollable grin because he was not only handsome in a dark, shadowy sort of way but because he loved her. She didn't know, but her eyes showed her thoughts all too obviously. "What?" She asked, nervously.

And then he ruined the moment.

"I just realized you insult me a lot, that's all."

"I do _not_." She said indignantly. But then she realized...she probably told him to shut up more often than she said she loved him. With hopeful eyes, she said, "I love you?"

"I know,"" he said, a small smile played on her lips. Who would have ever thought the two most broken ninjas of Konoha would be here like this now, side by side, joking about this? Rare, two seconds of happiness felt like an eternity. But then his eyes glazed over and she knew that for that moment, he wasn't seeing her and she panicked.

"Itachi?" She whispered his name, and placed her hand over his cheek worriedly.

"I'm fine," he said again. And she didn't believe him. She watched as he got out from the bed and stayed seated there for awhile. Then he got up and shrugged on the Akatsuki cloaked but then froze midway. "Sasuke killed Orochimaru."

"Good for him."

"He will probably be coming for me next."

"I'll give him a good smack on the head and send him the other way, don't you worry."

"Hanako –"

"Don't you _dare _say my name like that, Itachi," she said and jumped out of the bed, running to him. She grabbed his arm and looked up at him, eyes wide. "I swear if you're going on some suicide mission I will personally turn Kisame into a shark and make him swallow you up and spit you back here so I can kill you myself." He smiled at that and touched her face.

"If you say so," he merely said, and then leaned down to kiss her forehead softly. "I'll be back then."

"You better."

He smiled.

"And that's a threat, Itachi."

He was still smiling and for a minute, everything was perfect again – until his black eyes turned lost its focus and the truth of the situation overwhelms her again.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_I've changed, haven't I?"_

She was staring into her reflection with a frown. Hanako had been through a lot in her life, and it showed on her face. She knew a shinobi life would be hard, but sometimes…she wished that she was a child again. Particularly today, for whatever reason. Maybe it was the fact that the little boy she taught how to properly hold a kunai was going to hunt down the only person she ever loved, or maybe because the most undeniable strongest person whom she ever knew was going to die.

She hated the present.

She forced herself to take a deep breath, and got into the bath tub, submerging herself into the water. Around her, her black hair floated and because she was distracted, it caught her off guard when it clung to her bare shoulders. Curiously, she lifted the hair into her palm and stared at it. Then she had an idea.

After wrapping herself up in civilian clothing, she headed to the nearest town – that was still a few hours away - to pick up a few ingredients. "That's a pretty strong combination you have there, miss," commented the store keeper. "It'll strip off every single thing to the bone." Hanako just gave him a laugh.

"Oh, I hope it does."

Hanako arrived back to the house that Itachi and she stayed at occasionally a few hours later. It was a small compound in the mountains by a cover of trees and forest – a convenient hidden location without the feeling of isolation. It was daybreak by the time she returned, and she went to a small pond and pulled the things out of her bag. Carefully mixing the ingredients, she allowed it to sit as she stared into nothingness. Then she blinked and brought herself back into reality. Taking a deep breath, she dunked her head into the water and poured the mixture over her head.

She scrubbed hard, and until her fingers were red and raw. Then she rinsed it out…and repeated it several times. The water was tinted with an inky black, and her nails had dark crescents but it was working. By the last wash, she was happy with the results and flipped her hair back, taking a towel to dry her hair.

"Hanako?"

She turned around, surprised to see Itachi back so soon but then a hopeful smile lit up her face. She touched her hair self-consciously and asked, "Do you like it?"

The surprise in his eyes was clear and obviously a new thing to him. But then he closed his eyes, chuckling slightly as he came towards her. He ran his fingers through her natural hair – the beautiful, pale blonde hair that he remembered so vividly in his childhood. It brought back memories of happier times. Looking at her now, with light hair and eyes incredibly dark yet happy, he couldn't help but smile.

He leaned in, inches away from her face. She felt a kiss on her face - on that one dimple - before his lips were on hers. He needed that after today, after the constant bothersome of everyone hunting him. It was annoying but being with her in the end made it all seem like centuries ago. Slowly, he leaned back and she felt like she was waking up from a dream.

"Hey at least now with this bright hair, you'll probably be able to see me more clearly." She murmured softly against his lips. He had to laugh at that.

Only Hanako would make fun of his blindness in a way that could ever make him laugh.

* * *

:)


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

_Ten days ago…_

"Are you ready?"

Hanako took a deep breath. "Yes, I am."

Malice stared at the two young ninjas with a pained expression. Hanako held Itachi's hand tightly, and he closed his eyes, anger clear in his face. "You don't _have _to do this."

"Shut up, Itachi, we're here and we're doing it."

"There's no use in –"

"It's either one, or both. That's the only say you have in this and I already know your answer so don't bother. Malice, please begin. Itachi – lie down."

He didn't protest and the medic-nin sighed at the girl's perseverance. Next thing she knew, Hanako was in a chakra-induced sleep, mind drifting…

A few hours earlier Hanako had a brilliant idea. It was during one of her infamous all-night conversations with Itachi and at one point they were talking about Zetsu being a plant when a word popped up into her head: transplant. Itachi, knowing the truth behind her sharingan – that it was stolen by Danzo and implanted into Hanako as an experiment to see if a new sharingan bloodline was possible to create - didn't expect a thing. But the next morning, Hanako had pulled him out and forced them to travel to Malice's home, the only medical ninja that she entrusted the operation too.

She was going to give Itachi her sharingan eyes.

It had made _perfect _sense to Hanako. Not only would it cure his blindness from the Mangekyo, but it would also be interesting for her: she wanted to see that if there are no other kekkei genkai blocking her own natural one; would a Byakugan take over her new eyes? When Itachi found about her plan, he detested it and was even close to knocking her out to bring her back to the house. But Hanako was determined, so here they were now: under the blade and ready to transplant her eyes with his.

However, there was another reason.

As much as she avoided thinking about it, if Itachi were to die, at least she would be seeing the world through his eyes.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_One day ago…_

Hanako was shaking, her eyes pressed shut to keep the tears in but they didn't work. She clutched the pillow in her hands, trembling and face wet.

The pillow was stained in blood.

And that scared her _so much_.

His sickness was getting worse, and he was waking up coughing out so much blood that he would have to scramble to get the proper medicine. The expressionless, controlled S-Rank shinobi was frantic. When he slipped out this time, he wasn't quiet enough and Hanako had woken up, one eye – his eye – blurry but she saw the damage done. Her fingers were digging into the pillow, praying, hoping that it was some sort of…red hair dye, some sort of chemical reaction that she did wrong when she was turning back her hair blonde. But it was blood and she couldn't deny it.

The door creaked and she turned, staring at Itachi with wide, frightened eyes. The instant he saw her, his face softened and he turned away, expression full of regret. "I shouldn't have got you involved with this," he said. His voice was full of self-hatred that she instantly recognized. He couldn't stand the sadness in her eyes, the vulnerability. She opened her mouth but she couldn't find the words. She hadn't cried for so long, and it was all coming out at the real proof of Itachi's illness.

"Don't," she said, eyebrows pulled together, "don't say that now. I don't need to hear that – I, I just…" she gave up and dropped the pillow, coming to him and wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Please don't say that."

"I have to leave," he said softly. "I have to make it worthwhile." It. His death. She knew there was no way to convince him out of his plan, like how he knew that she was not going to leave him during his last few days.

"Promise me you're coming back at least."

"I promise."

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

Stationed out at the Uchiha hide out, Hanako walked out to the shoreline slowly. Behind her was the mountain and forests that she was so familiar with: the place she travelled with Kakashi once, where she kissed Itachi, where Itachi broke her heart…and now…

No, she didn't want to think about it.

She was sitting on a rock, chin on her arms and arms on her knees, staring mindlessly and listening to the ocean as the sun was falling over the water, giving her a beautiful view. But everything seemed sad to her, so unbearably sad. She sunk lower into her position until she was facing down on her forearm. Then she felt a layer being wrapped around her and looked up to see Itachi placing his dark cloak around her.

"I thought you would be here," he said softly.

She didn't respond, lost in her thoughts and in her own misery. Hanako had a knack for torturing herself, so she allowed herself to speak freely on a topic that even they never breached in during their days together. "Imagine," she said quietly, "if none of this ever happened."

He sighed and put his arm around her but she was resistant and stayed where she was. He closed his eyes, resting against her.

"Imagine if there was no coup d'etat, and we were still at the Academy. You still would have been a genius, of course, but I would have been promoted early eventually, right? Maybe you can stay a genin for a year or two until I can catch up... and we could have take the chunin test together. I just wonder who the third member would be…oh well." There was grief underneath her light tone.

His eyes slowly opened tiredly. "Hanako, you don't have to –"

"_Anyway_," her voice cracked but she ignored him and went on, "we would probably rank up to jonin-level pretty soon." She stopped, considering. "I'm not sure about ANBU though…I didn't really enjoy that experience in _this_ lifetime, so I probably wouldn't much either in an alternate universe. But then we could have been comrades – just us – going out on missions and whatnot…" Then she laughed. "Do you think we would have gone married?"

He felt something in his chest drop. "I don't think it's a good idea –"

"Well you're dying _anyway._"

They were both silence by her outburst. She turned to him, a pained look in her eyes but she couldn't stop. "I just…" she shook her head apologetically. She knew was harsh but it didn't matter because she knew that either way, in a couple days, she would be crushed. Let the pain hit her all together later, but for now, she was going to be carefree. She continued despite his silence. "We would've gotten married," she said quietly, "I'm pretty sure. I can't really imagine anyone else... We would have had a son first, and a few years later, a daughter."

She waited for a response and this time, he spoke.

"I want a daughter first, actually."

She smiled a small smile and nudged him at his stomach. "No, we would definitely have a son first so he can take care of little Amaya."

"Amaya? That's our daughter's name?"

Her heart pretty much exploded at the sound of his voice saying 'our daughter' as if they were actually planning a realistic future. Tears fell by now but she was elated. "It sure is. And our son would be Raiden…or maybe Shisui." She was leaning in towards him, resting her head between his shoulder and neck. His arms circle her.

"And the kids would drive each other crazy but they'd care for each other the way you and Sasuke do…and we would come home from missions and embarrass them at the Academy to the point they where even the senseis would kick us out." A smile tugged at his lips and she loved how she was the only one that could make him smile so often. It made him _her _Itachi, and she loved him so much in such a short period of time.

They talked and talked about their impossible future, laughing and watching the waves against the rocks. She was crying and laughing as they fought over their role in the family – with Itachi cooking and taking the kids to tea houses while Hanako would just mess around with little Shisui and Amaya all the time. Itachi would have been the good, kind, admirable father…and Hanako would be there, torturing their children with all the love that she held in her heart for so long.

"I just hope Shisui won't be a freak like you – in fact, I sort of wish he would be an underdog." She grinned up at Itachi.

"I'm a freak?" Then he stopped and seemed distant for awhile. She knew the reaction immediately and her heart stopped. This was it. He closed his eyes, and reality was back, their banter over. His arms were tight around her.

"I should leave now," he said. He stood up and she followed suite, her eyes staring closely at him. Her eyebrows pulled together and she forced herself to take deeper breaths. She took his cloak and put it around him, her hands clutching at the collar. She wasn't able to look at him, and she hated herself for not being able to give him a reason to avoid the fight with Sasuke. She was trembling, fighting the stinging in her eyes. "You don't have to go," she said quietly.

"I'm sorry," he didn't bother giving her an excuse. There was no way to convince him otherwise.

"You're not a martyr, Itachi, you don't _have _to make Sasuke the hero."

"I do." He was holding her close to him now, trying to calm her down but she was growing more hysterical by the second. She couldn't talk properly, stuttering and blubbering and not caring how pathetic she looked.

"I love you, Hanako, don't forget that." He gently took her face in his hands; her blonde hair folded over his fingers and kissed her forehead, then her cheek. Little touches like that still made her heart race, and she grabbed him forcefully, not wanting to let him go. She didn't kiss him though; she was pulling him away from the Hide-Out.

"Please Itachi! I _just _finally got you and now you're leaving? There's no way, _no way in Hell I'm letting you go._"

"I know," his voice was quiet, "and I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" She looked up and met his Sharingan eyes. Caught up in his genjutsu and was teleported into a world - into his mind - where she felt a rush of emotions – of his love for her, for Sasuke, and for his village. My Lord, he loved the three so much, he was willing to give up everything for them. And she loved him too and everything about him. He gave her his mind – his true, raw feelings with nothing left behind – and if she thought that she understood him before, it was nothing compared to this moment now.

And then she collapsed into his arms.

* * *

I apologize if the time skips don't make sense! They don't go in very much detail how long it took Sasuke to get from Orochimaru's death to Sasuke's very much...so I just played around with it to suit the story.


	21. Epilogue(s)

Epilogue

_One day after..._

From a distance, Hanako woke up to a sound of a body smashing towards a crumbling wall before it turned simply into a lifeless piece of flesh that fell to the ground. She woke up wanting nothing more than to go back being asleep - desperate plea to escape the sadness and void. And then the pain hit her all at once - ravaging her, attacking her, drowning her in it - and left her feeling nothing but numb.

Itachi Uchiha was dead.

Her body jerked as she choked back her tears before losing all control. Never before had she experience a pain like this, something so big and crushing that it suffocate her. She had to force herself to breathe, force herself to continue living but with each second of knowing he was gone forever, her grip on reality loosened and began dreaming for the day when everything would just _end_.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_Five days after..._

Kakashi Hatake was exhausted inside and out because of his failed mission. He neither captured Sasuke or Itachi, and the disappointment was clear in his dulled eyes. He wandered around the village, lost in though and didn't notice that someone had joined him. Or maybe he didn't notice because her presence was as familiar to him like a shadow. He looked at her and knew something was wrong immediately.

But she was lovely in an incredibly sad and broken sort of way. Her hair was light as it was during childhood, but something changed in her eyes. They were no longer bright as they were dark. Instead the trauma of death marked those black eyes. He watched her carefully, and following and trailing behind her as she mindlessly head towards the Third Training Ground as they so often did years ago.

She crouched down to the stone and pulled out a kunai and began to scratch letters to it. Everything was silent and neither of them spoke, only the sound of blade to rock between them. At last, she stopped. "Itachi's gone," she told Kakashi in a quiet voice that was just barely a whisper, "and Konoha will never know the truth."

"The truth?"

She closed her eyes and put the knife down. "Sometimes," she said and her voice begun to shake with anger, "I hate this village and I just know that I will never forgive it and I just despise this place -" suddenly her voice broke and she turned away from the other ninja, hiding the single tear that rolled down her cheek. "_So much._ But I'll die for this horrible village...for him."

Kakashi glanced back at the engraved name. "Itachi Uchiha?"

Her breathing stopped. The sound of his name brought all the pain back, overwhelming her with grief. She held the kunai so tight in her hands that it broke her flesh and she began to bleed. _This pain is the only thing I can control...but its nothing compared to this feeling._. And so she pushed it in deeper, just a bit more...a little deeper until blood ran down her wrist like water. "I loved that stupid fool."

"Hanako, will you be okay?"

Just those words alone threatened tears. She wiped her eyes, only for blood to streak on her face. Trembling, she stared down at her hands before closing her grip. "No," she murmured, "No, I won't."

And from that day on, Hanako had changed. It was the last time Hanako Hyuga cried, the last time she gave a reason for anything, and the last time she had mentioned Itachi Uchiha ever again.

/- END OF THE OTHER SURVIVOUR-/-/-/-/

**A/N:** Upon request, here is the **alternate epilogue! **Warning, **do not read if you like sad endings! But...if you don't...here's one that's a bit more tied up.**

/- ALTERNATE -/ -/-/

* * *

Epilogue V2

He felt the life draining out of him with each step he took closer to get to his brother. _Just...a little more_. It was selfish to give Sasuke a glimpse of his true side but he had given everything he had to Hanako, and wanted to do the same for his little brother.

Hanako.

The thought of her made him smile. Her blonde hair, her black eyes, her temper...just every bit about her. _I really did love her._ He raised his arms and quietly he said, "Forgive me, Sasuke...It ends with this.". He thought back into his childhood - the days with Shisui, at first, then Hanako, then Sasuke. He was grateful that he had those three to love, and he regretted nothing. This was the way he would want it to end - the only thing he would've asked for was more time with Hanako. He didn't want to leave her alone but Sasuke...

_It has to end like this._ And then Itachi Uchiha poked his younger brother's forehead for the final time, and smiled as everything went black.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_"He may not die, you know."_

_Hanako looked up at Kisame, a bit more than surprised at his words. Was he trying to comfort her? She wondered what the world was coming too, but she grinned anyway._

_"Itachi's one of the strongest ninja that ever existed, he can survive this."_

_If the Demon of the Mist was praising him, Itachi had to be doing something right. Kisame wouldn't say something he wouldn't believe. And for the first time in a while, she allowed herself to hope. She smiled a smile that made even Kisame question whether or not he was truly good or evil._

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she thought was that the rogue ninja was wrong.

Itachi Uchiha was gone.

She felt an unbearable sadness overshadow her, darkening her thoughts and making her wish for death an escape. She felt an unending sense of emptiness - but she wasn't empty, not quite. With a shaky hand, she touched her stomach gently.

_Breathe, Hanako_.

Breath for _it._

For Itachi's only child.

l-l-l-l-l-l-l

_Six years after..._

"Mom, mom! Look at what I can do!"

"Calm down, Amaya, or else I may suffocate you with this pillow."

The little girl giggled and tugged excitedly at the blonde woman until she groaned and got up. The pleasant morning fog of unawareness was lifted, followed by a familiar wave of depression and then she looked at the child, smiling at her with front teeth missing and an uncontrollable happiness, and her heart felt a bit more whole.

"Please _please _come? I finally perfected the Fire Ball jutsu!"

"I just taught you that yester -" she broke off and sighed, and then mused up her daughter's hair affectionately.

Six years had passed and the depression faded a bit with each day - just the slightest. But this morning the sun peaked through the curtain and created a halo around the young girl's head, as her eyes stared excitedly at her only parent. She really was her father's child, already a prodigy at age 5. "I'm proud of you, my beloved freak." And Hanako really did love her - the child that Itachi wanted. She inherited everything from Itachi - his eyes, his hair, his skills, his hopes and dream. The only thing that made her significantly Hanako's child was the brightness in those large black eyes as opposed to a measured or gentle gaze.

Amaya made a face, not understanding her mother's joke so she crossed her arms and turned away stubbornly. "I bet dad wouldn't call me that."

She was caught off guard by the comment. Amaya knew the entire truth about her father of course, but she was a child with a simple curiosity - not an emotional attachment. Hanako smiled.

"He would, Amaya. He was a freak of nature too."

Amaya blinked, big eyes wide with a childish bewilderment. "But you loved him?" _Love, still._

"More than anything."

She stared wide-eyed at the 27 year old kunoichi. "Except for me, right?"

Hanako laughed and poked her daughter in the forehead, the way Itachi had so often done to his younger brother. A smile pulled up the slightest on the kunoichi's face. "Except you."

/-END OF THE OTHER SURVIVOUR (Once again)-/

* * *

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR STICKING TO THIS STORY THAT I STARTED A MONTH AGO!

I am so unbelievably proud that I actually finished this story in such a short period of time - but I think its a great one, and its so underrated in the anime how they didn't go into much detail about Itachi and this lover! I had to admit, when this story was playing around in my head, I didn't expect it to get so complex but...it did, and I'm happy with it - and I am so happy that there are people that _actually _read this. Like...living, breathing people who probably had better things to do but decided to read these words posted! You have no idea how thankful I am!

SO THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

Even though this story is over, I still would appreciate your final review more than ever! Did I do good, disappoint? To unrealistic? I'd love to know!

But yes, this is the end!

THANK YOU AGAIN :)

I am _not _done yet with the Naruto fanfic world, don't you worry :)

P.S.: In case you haven't noticed, each or at least every several chapters begin with a "- years ago / - months ago / - days after / - week after" with the 'ago/after' referring from the date of Itachi's death. So all the dates in this chapter revolve around his ultimate death, in case you haven't noticed! It's a just a little detail I decided to added and acknowledge here in the epilogue. :)


	22. Post Epilogue

Post Epilogue: Again

Step.

Step.

_Just keep walking, Hanako. You'll get there -_

Suddenly she heard the sound of a crash and she stopped, seeing a large, flaming red chakra in the form of a skeletal spirit, clad in armour. Her breathing stopped. _It's him. He's back - with the rest of them._ But...but she didn't, couldn't allow herself to run towards the fight. So slowly she walked there, willing herself not to get her hopes up. _It might not be him, it may be Sasuke._

But that would be okay too, because that was why she was in the war zone - pregnant, and moving - to find Sasuke. To tell him that this was not the way to do things, that as much as she hated Konoha for the pain it brought Itachi, destroying the village would put his death in vain.

She touched her swollen stomach, so large that walking became as tiring as sprinting. But the minutes flew by as she thought about every possible situation - including the idea that they may be gone now, that she was too slow - but the miles slip by and suddenly, she saw him: a man with dark hair pulled back, and a dark red cloak moving.

Her mind, her heart, her mouth shouted out all at once. "_Itachi_."

The figure stopped and when he turned around – suddenly, there was no such thing as air.

_Itachi_.

She opened her mouth but no words came out and he was equally shocked, seeing her there. A young woman, only 20 years old but so clearly pregnant. Her pale blonde hair tied up hastily, and she wore lose robes to move. But he saw the weapons hidden beneath, the metal plated gloves, the threat in her black eyes. They stand there in front of each other, unable to figure out the words.

But staring at those eyes of his, of his Sharingan surrounded by black, a tiny cry escaped her lips before she could clamp her trembling hands over it and that sound broke him out of his trance. "Hanako."

And then she was racing towards him, throwing her arms around him and despite the past months - of silence, of anger, of repressed words and thoughts - she broke down, sobbing as her fingers dug into his back, her entire being shaking. And she was talking - rambling incoherently the way she had hours before his death. Her thoughts interwoven but not quite organized with her words but he caught glimpses of it. _I love you. I hate you. Damn Sasuke. How can you? I love you. Kisame, he's dead. Is this really you - how did Kabuto get your DNA? The war. I love you. I love you. I love you. _

"Hanako," he said once again and a ghost of a smile faded across his lips. He closed his eyes, leaning closer towards her and holding her tighter. "You talk a lot, as always."

"Shut up, Itachi!" She cried out, but she didn't stop burying her face in his shoulders as words left her lips without a thought. "You're back...you're back."

As much as he didn't want too, he leaned back and observed her, his eyes running down her body. Her face flushed slightly. "Thanks for leaving me alone," she whispered and he knew that despite her words, she was not quite hurt. She didn't mind the future - of raising a child solely by herself - because it meant that she would always have a bit of Itachi with her. And that would be okay.

"I'm - I'm sorry." He had never...never considered that this would happened. The nights before his death was a cry out into a void, a _why not?_ sort of idea, it was him succumbing to all the things he had thought he buried a long, long ago. And it was because of love, of course. But...

"It's okay." She smiled, but her large dark eyes were framed with tears. His thumb ran beneath her eyes, wiping the traces of it and she touched his hand, holding it to her face. It felt the same - the same hand, roughed by life of a shinobi. Her other hand remained on his cloak, holding on tight so that he won't escape her, not again. "It'll all be okay now." Hesitantly, his free hand ran down the sides of her stomach gently, barely even touching her as if he was afraid of what would happen. It was almost a hover but eventually, his curiosity gave in. The corners of his mouth pulled up.

"I hope it's a girl," was all he said and those words shattered her mind yet again and she was holding him again, desperately tight to never let him go. "Please don't go, not again," she begged, "not again...not again."

"Hanako -"

"No. Listen, okay? You left me the last time for Sasuke, for the village - for your stupid heroic intentions but I'm not heroic, I'm selfish and I don't want you leaving again. Not with Amaya or Raiden or Shisui on the way. I don't want -"

"_Hanako_." How many times already had he silenced her merely by saying her name? But hearing it in that voice of his, his logical but soft voice, the gentle way he said it that made it so clear that he did, for whatever reason, loved her. She felt his hair tickle her face, felt the warmth of his breath on her cheeks as he spoke, felt the warmth of him altogether as he held her close. "I'm not alive."

And then he said something like that and it ruined everything.

Her heart dropped, her eyes squeezed shut. "I know that," she whispered begrudgingly, "I know that very well, Itachi."

There was a pause and neither of them said anything.

"I should never have seen you." She said, just as quiet. The voice that came out was so unlike hers that he had to take a step back and examine her face. It was not the same one as his childhood, nor the final days of his life - this one was weary and tired and sick of life. "This was all a tease."

"Is it not enough that -"

"No," she cut him off abruptly, rubbing her eyes and she laughed with frustration. She was reaching her breaking point. The day Itachi died and she had wandered back into Konoha, she left just as promptly. She couldn't stay there - as much as she didn't want to admit it, she felt the revulsion towards the village that Sasuke did. Instead, she wandered. People took pity on the pretty and pregnant, she realized bitterly, and used that for her own advantage. But when she could no longer ignore the shinobi war going on, she had to intervene again. Now months later, she was planning on seeing Sasuke and if it didn't work, then fine. She would quit being a kunoichi, and she would play the mother role. If he had listened, great - but it would only end up the same way, except this time, little Amaya or Raiden or Shisui would have an uncle.

But now that she saw Itachi, it was like reopening a wound. And the fact that he wasn't staying...it made it that much worse. She shouldn't have seen him. Now Hanako had to recover all over again and it would be agonizing. "Like the idiot I am, my hopes went up and...and you're leaving me," her voice cracked, her black eyes wincing and eyebrows knit together, holding back those stupid tears of frustration that she had thought she gotten rid of as a teenager - but they were there, threatening to spill for the second time today. God, she hated that she was so vulnerable towards Itachi, that he made her feel this way but in the same time..."Now I have to get over you all over again. Do you know how difficult it was for me the _first_ time?" How difficult it was to not just die - to disappear off the face of earth.

He was speechless. He was able to figure a way to salvage the Uchiha clan, to strengthen his brother, to help Konoha, to break Kabuto's control over him - and soon he would be able to break the man's control over all the reanimated. But he could not figure out what the right words to say to Hanako except..."I love you."

She stared at him, tears muddled up her sight and she groaned, grabbing her hair and turning away before sharply flashing back in front of him. "God I hate you so much," she said but as always, her words contradicted her actions because next thing he knew, both hands were on the side of his face, fingers through his hair as she grabbed him closed and kissed him for all the months, weeks, days and hours he had not been by her side.

And even though he was technically dead and it was just his soul inhabiting a strange shinobi's body that took on his likeness, he felt that same shock as he would if he were alive. Lips yielded and mouth pressed against hers, he kissed the girl that was - who would ever guess - the mother of his child with the exact frustration and anger but tenderness that she felt. But she didn't want him to touch her as if she was breaking a part – which she surely was – she wanted him to hold her so rough and desperately as if he wanted to crush her into him, the way he kissed her all those months ago back _before _she knew he was dying.

"Hanako -"

"Shush," she whispered, silencing him with her lips, her grip making it clear exactly how much she wanted this. Arms around each other like vines, a mess of fingers through hair and bodies fitted so well together that she hoped it was a sin to break the two apart again. And for who knew how long, she stayed there in his arms, trying to take in as much as him as possible and creating new memories for her to hold onto until the skies became tinted with indigos and violets. And when he broke away, she was gasping for air and the same plea escaped her lips. "Stay, _please_."

He didn't decline it because he knew how fragile she was right now, but it was clear from the way he pulled her hands away that it was a no. "Take care, Hanako." He said softly as his lips pressed against her forehead and then her mouth, and the top of her stomach. "And take care of Amaya."

"Or Raiden," she whispered, her eyes moving quickly to capture the image of Itachi - every detail, every line. A smile teased his mouth, but again he didn't say the obvious. He stepped back, his hands not quite ready to let go of hers yet. After this, he would probably never see her again - never experience any sort of affection, not like hers. But he couldn't put it off any longer, who knew how many shinobi had died in the past hour because he had been distracted.

"You can move on, you know," he reminded her lightly as their hands lingered, still together. She gave him a look and that same smile remained on his face. "I just thought you should remember that," he said gently and then kissed her forehead once again. His thumb ran down her cheek as he took one last look at the girl that was Hanako Hyuga, the girl that had been a constant in his life.

"You are hilarious," she said, trying to sound casual but she was already preparing for yet another unexplainable pain that would drown her entire mind and soul once again. But his touch was still on her, and he couldn't bring himself to leave yet. With a sigh, he broke off contact.

"Good bye, Hanako."

He was moving, his back to her because he knew that if he were to stare any longer, he would not leave. But she still gazed after him, holding her breath.

"Bye." At least this time, they had their final words - this time, she was conscious. He tilted his head just slightly so that she could see bits of his profile, and her heart stopped when his eyes were in a gentle curve of a line, a care-free smile on his face - the very same look when they were children. The smile of someone who had not experienced hell on earth, smile of someone who had not murdered his entire clan, who watched as his parents died by his hands, who was killed by his brother - the boy he raised to hate him when he had loved him so much - and he looked happy. As if he wanted this to happen.

"Stupid Itachi," she choked, covering her face and pressing her palm against her eyes, her forehead to keep back the incessant tears but a sound escaped and her breathing hitched. And she was crying again, her knees collapsed and crumbling down as she punched the ground, clawing at it as if it was the bane of all the pain she had ever experienced. She shrieked, screamed and shouted and cried, shaking madly but she wasn't sad anymore - she just felt too goddamn much and she had no idea how to release it. _Why did I have to love such a selfless man?_ It was too much love. A love that can burn down the world or mend all that is broken. But for now, that love was to raise a child - his child. Itachi Uchiha's.


	23. Extra: A Day at the Academy!

A Day at the Academy

_15 years ago..._

"Itachi, Itachi!" The little girl giggled out, running around in the Uchiha Compound. Her long, wavy blonde hair flew in the wind as the clan looked over curiously at the loud child, all recognizing her by this point as the prodigy's friend. When she arrived, panting, at one of the largest house in the neighbourhood, Mikoto blinked and appraised the girl, smiling. "Hanako, you're here early." There was still two hours before Academy started. Hanako straightened up and grinned toothily at the older lady.

"Well, Itachi promised to help me a little bit before school started!" She said eagerly, peaking around for the dark haired boy. The girl looked so excited that Mikoto couldn't help but laugh.

"What's all this - oh." Fugaku stepped out, narrowing his eyes slightly at the tiny thing in front of him. So this is her, Hanako Hyuga. As a major clan player, he heard about the Hyuga's odd duckling and as a father, this must have been Itachi's little friend. "You must be Hanako Hyuga."

She blinked, her pupiless black eyes staring up at the stern looking man carefully...before a grin broke across her face. "Yup! That's me!" Then her attention was caught elsewhere and an even wider grin spread on her lips. "Hey, Itachi! Over here!"

"Are you always this loud in the morning?" He asked, but somehow, he said this without sounding offensive. She bit her lip, staring at him for a second too long before shrugging. Trust a five year old to have an attention span of less than a fly.

"Come on, let's go out to the clearing!" And to the parent's shock, this brave little child easily took a surprised Uchiha's hand in hers and darted to the fringes, waving back at the parents enthusiastically, leaving the two adults both mystified and horrified.

Horrified, why?

Because Itachi was smiling.

_Who is this girl?_

0-0

She was sitting cross-legged on the bench, whispering to Itachi in class about something and every once in awhile, a smile would perk up on her lip and that one dimple would appear and he would be momentarily distracted. "Hanako, pay attention! And stop corrupting the best student!" Sensei Ushiro shouted, a vein pulsing at his temple.

Her eyes slit as she turned to him and resisted the urge to stick out her tongue. She wanted to argue back that you can't have a one-sided conversation but she didn't want to get Itachi in trouble...not that he would, anyway. "Favouritism," she muttered. Meanwhile, Irahime was concealing her little giggle. Hanako slumped down onto the desk, her blonde hair spreading around her. She stirred in her seat, bored as the sensei explained the art of...eh, who cares. So instead Hanako played with the pencil in her hands...only for it to go flying across the room.

"Hanako!"

"Sorry!"

"This is the last straw, or else you're out!"

"Fine!"

"In fact, sit _right_ in front of me and don't do anything." Sensei said and the class laughed at her, whispering about how Ushiro deserved it for allowing a five year old to enter the academy. With a melodramatic groan, Hanako grabbed all her stuff, wiggled her fingers at Itachi and moved to the seat next to Irahime. "Hi."

"Hmph." The other Hyuga girl said, turning away. "I will _not_ let you distract me." It was as if Hanako was the Epitome of Troublemaking to her.

"_Well_." Hanako said rather bitterly and turned back to the sensei, who was informing the class of their practice spar. This, Hanako found interesting.

Now, despite the fact that they were pretty early into the year, Itachi Uchiha was already known as one of the best, and...well, people were already giggling over him. So when Ushiro said 'partner' and the distance from Hanako to Itachi gave others the confidence to move in on him like an animal.

"Itachi!"

"Be my partner, please!"

"Come on, I swear I won't drag you down!"

"Please, Itachi? My mom would be so proud!"

"Itachi!" "Itachi!" "Itachi!"

By the time Hanako could even turn around, there was already a crowd of girls that will grow up to become _fan_girls around her friend. Cue eye twitch.

In the end, Hanako couldn't be paired up with her only comrade so she gingerly turned to Irahime instead, who sat straight in her seat and hands on the table like an annoyingly perfect student. Slight twinge of envy, but Hanako sighed. _Father would want me to be friends with her_. And seeing that nobody wanted to partner up with the intimidating Hyuga, Hanako went up to her with an expectant smile. "Partners?"

"No thank you."

That eye twitch was going to get chronic by this rate.

"I don't see anybody else willing to be with you." Hanako stated. The other girl looked down, and quietly, she muttered, "Fine."

0-0

"When the spar is over, both participants make the symbol of 'combat' and lock their fingers together, to make the symbol of 'harmony' to acknowledge that they are still comrades. This is all part of the proper etiquette for a shinobi spar." Sensei Ushiro explained once they were outside. Hanako exchanged a glance all the way back at Itachi at the word 'comrade' as if it was a secret joke, and he smiled slightly.

"Well who wants to -"

"Me, me! Um...us!"

"Calm down, Hanako," Ushiro sighed, not surprised that the feisty blonde wanted to start fighting first. So the two opposite Hyugas stood in the middle, as everyone watched the two make the symbol of combat. Hanako's eyes were black as night but bright as ever. Irahime was mature and composed as always, a rare and admirable trait for someone so young.

"And...start!"

Hanako, the child whose father taught her shadow clone at such a young age, forgot about ninjutsu completely and decided to face the Hyuga girl with taijutsu.

This was an interesting battle. Two child near-prodigies of the same clan against each other. Jonin at the standby station had caught sight of this and appeared just as the two girls raised their hand up carefully. Already, they were able to perform the gentle fist.

"Well what do you expect from the Hyuga clan," Shikaku Nara said with a smirk on his face. The blonde man beside him nodded, waiting for the two girls to make a move. Their hands glowed a similar blue, and Irahime decided to wait for Hanako to wait for the first move so that she could deflect it and use the moment to -

Inoichi Yamanaka's eyes widen as the blonde girl moved at a speed more than impressive for her age. Before Irahime could even move to protect herself, Hanako moved in front of her, took a step, turned around and got behind her and used the Gentle Fist to strike her right behind the neck.

For a girl with no Byakugan, she was pretty damn close.

Irahime froze, her colourless eyes wide with shock as she fell to her knees. Hanako looked down, grinned but there was no way a Hyuga was going down without a fight. The dark-haired girl's eyes narrow and she grunted and kicked Hanako rather ungracefully on the knee, but successfully making her opponent stumble.

Screw skill or lineage or kekkei genkai. Too caught up in childish fight, they were simply rolling over each other, throwing punches - that were impressively not at all sloppy - until Ushiro stepped in. "Alright, alright! It's a draw."

Shikaku couldn't help but hide his grin.

"That's not fair!" Hanako cried out, finally managing to pin the other girl down. "I could've won!" But despite her claim, both girls were red and probably going to have bruises...but it was clear. Irahime had it worse. And the jonins and sensei knew that Hanako was right.

"Get off me!" Irahime shouted, throwing off the other girl and Hanako allowed herself to get pushed off. She blew the hair from her face, glowering as Irahime dusted off herself and gave her a glare over her shoulder.

"_I hate your soul_." Hanako whispered.

"What?" A hand was in front of her.

"Nothing." She said as she accepted the help from the blonde man.

It was an Inuzuka girl that volunteered to go next. All though she was composed as Itachi was, Hana Inuzuka generally got along well with Hanako - what with their similar name and Hanako's obsession with her ninken. As Hana and Hanako were friends, it only made sense for Itachi to chose her over the other fangirls. Hanako straightened up, eyes sparkling as she took in the three dogs.

Now this was _also_ an interesting battle. A sole little boy, against a girl with three grey dogs. They weren't huge...yet but to the children, it was still a four against one battle. "Alright, begin!"

Itachi's eyes scanned through the three dogs and then he closed his eyes. He didn't hate dogs, but he knew he had to get them out of the way. As soon as they made the signs of combat, Hana unleashed her ninken on them - only for Itachi to disappear.

In the next moment, the three dogs were whimpering and kicked down a good ten feet away from their partner. Hana froze, her dark eyes wide. "No!" She cried out for her injured dogs, and ran towards them, only for Itachi to stand in front of her...and stop.

He sighed.

"I don't want to hit a girl."

He turned back to the dogs and winced.

"I'm sorry." He bowed down to a paralyzed Hana, who did not understand at all what Itachi was doing. Itachi Uchiha was just not the arrogant type that would hit both animals and a girl the same day. He could have clearly won but... "I suppose that's another draw."

The jonins exchanged a glance and they thought the same thing: These two draws were unnecessary. The winner was clear in both.

0-0

During the break, the little Hyuga girl was lying on her stomach in the playground, intently focused on a drawing in front of her. Sensei Ushiro couldn't help but smile at seeing the usual frisky blonde girl looking so young as she scribbled and coloured away like a child _should _be at her age. Colouring - normal. Jonin-level techniques: _not _normal. He bent down. "What are you drawing there, Hanako?"

She blinked and looked up at him, clearly contemplating whether or not to show it to him. Her eyes narrowed...and then she grinned and flipped up onto her knees and shoved the picture in his face. His eyebrows raised. "It's my future ANBU mask!" She explained proudly. It was a cat-shaped mask, not too badly drawn too. An idea popped into his head.

"Can I borrow this for a second?" He asked and she frowned at him, thinking.

"...ooookay," she agreed and gave him the picture. He went to his desk and began working away on it and in a few minutes, Hanako skipped to his desk and peaked over his shoulder but he was already done. "Close your eyes," he told her and she did obediently, to his surprise. He tied the string to the back of her head and she burst with giggles when she realized that her sensei made her a mask. "Thanks, sensei!" She exclaimed genuinely happy and hugged him, "I'm going to show Itachi!"

_Show _was a loose term, as instead she fly-tackled the boy down. Sure, he sensed her coming but he decided not to burst her bubble and allowed her to crash into him. She got lost in a fit of giggles as she pinned him down. "Itachi Uchiha! You are arrested for hurting those pups!" She declared, poorly disguising her voice.

"Hi, Hanako." He simply said, a small smile on his face.

Even behind a mask, it was so clear that her face fell along with her excitement. "How did you tell?" She pouted, taking off the mask. She was still on top of him so he raised his arms and played with a white blonde lock. "Your hair."

"Right," she said softly, slowly realizing her obvious trademark, and then snapped her fingers. "Maybe I should dye it -"

"No!" Itachi shot up, surprising himself and Hanako fell off of him. She wasn't hurt, but was just shocked that the usually controlled Uchiha had made an unplanned outburst. She laughed. Hanako was usually the one without a filter from her thoughts to words and actions, _not _him. But Itachi was still staring at her with his gentle black eyes, never breaking her gaze. "I like it."

_A lot. _

* * *

Hello! Here's a little extra! I wanted to write something during their younger happier days...so eh, why not? I was so tired of writing sad scenes, although I just finished The Story of Rei Yukimora (A SasukexOC fanfic, if y'all are interested!) and decided to write this up :)

I hope you enjoyed! Leave a review and tell me if you like things like this, maybe I'll write more?

Any good Itachi fanfics you want to reccomend? Even if it's your own? As long as its not ItachixSakura...I'm not a very huge fan of her, lol.

But this, officially, conclude my little story.

Thank you all for reading!


End file.
